In Malawi, women’s representation in politics has historically been low, with only 23 percent of parliamentary seats held by women following the 2019 elections, and even lower representation at the local level. The northern region was particularly underrepresented, with just four out of 33 parliamentarians being women. To address these disparities ahead of the 2025 elections, Mbawemi, a women-led rights organization, has been empowering women candidates through a rights-based approach, building leadership capacity, and challenging social norms that hinder women’s political participation.
Supported by UN Women under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership programme, funded by the European Union, Mbawemi has implemented innovative strategies to reach rural communities, train women leaders, and encourage community support for women candidates. As part of these efforts, the organization conducted market show campaigns and 30 community-level “road show” events, combining entertainment, theater, comedy, games, and music to promote gender-balanced leadership and raise awareness of women’s political participation. These roadshows also provided practical support, such as victim support specialists on site, and highlighted barriers such as funding inequalities faced by women candidates.
The project demonstrated tangible outcomes during the 2025 elections, with candidates like Millian Jakapu and Shilla Kasakula winning seats in Kasungu South West, and broader successes in Mzimba district, where five women were elected out of 13 seats, marking a significant step forward in women’s leadership in a historically patriarchal area. The initiative trained at least 150 women aspirants to develop issue-based manifestos and provided mentorship to 99 young women from seasoned politicians, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to contest elections successfully.
Beyond local wins, the project supported women candidates who secured ministerial positions, including Hon. Madalitso Chidumu Baloyi as Minister of Health and Sanitation and Hon. Martha Mzomera Ngwira as Deputy Minister of Gender, Children, Disability Welfare. Through these efforts, Mbawemi and the WYDE | Women’s Leadership programme have strengthened women’s participation in Malawi’s political landscape, proving that targeted capacity-building, community engagement, and social norms change can lead to measurable progress in advancing gender equality in leadership.
Dorothy Chiumzia, Executive Director of Mbawemi, highlighted the significance of these achievements, particularly in patriarchal districts, emphasizing that women are capable of leading effectively and that initiatives like this demonstrate the potential for women to transform political representation across Malawi.
