Mangochi — Church organisations supported by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Danish Church Aid (DCA), have been asked to "vigorously" advocate gender and human rights issues.

The two donor agencies have noted that the gross violation of women's rights in the country, and the unwillingness of society to allow them participation in national decision-making processes, were denying them (the women) a chance to uplift their socio-economic status.

The donors have subsequently warned that unless Malawian churches respect the rights of women and other vulnerable groups, they will withdraw funding.

At a recently concluded gender workshop in the resort district of Mangochi in southern Malawi, participants were urged to reflect gender sensitivity in their programme designs, in order to minimise gender inequalities in community development.

NCA and DCA argue that gender, being a cross-cutting issue, must be part of projects and programmes they support.

They maintain that local church organisations should embark on sensitisation of communities on gender, and ensure that human rights matters were incorporated in their project activities.

"Unless these issues are addressed, we may consider withdrawing our aid to the church organisations," says part of a statement by the agencies.

NCA and DCA local partner organisations include Malawi Council of Churches, Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Evangelical Association of Malawi, Christian Services Committee, and Christian Health Association of Malawi.

Others are Church Action in Relief and Development, Association of Christian Educators, and the Public Affairs Committee (PAC).

The meeting observed that the family, culture, education, media, financial, political, and religious institutions should influence and address gender disparities in society.

While promising to abide by human rights requirements, PAC board chairman, Sheikh Mustahab Ayami, threw the buck to religious institutions, blaming them for promoting gender inequalities by denying women positions of leadership.

"If the Church can be in the lead in giving women positions of leadership, it would go a long way to empower their participation," said Ayami.

As Malawi prepares for general elections in May next year, women rights activists have been complaining of rising cases of intimidation of women indicating interest in high positions.

Women's Lobby, Association for Progressive Women, and Women's Voice, are among pressure groups pressing leaders of political parties to review their policies, so that women can climb up the ladder.

"There is a lot of intimidation of women candidates, which is not favourable for our young democracy," charges Faustace Chirwa, director for Women's Lobby.

Presently, only the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) has made headway in anointing women as church ministers in its three synods.

The Roman Catholic Church is yet to consider the issue, while other churches are still engulfed in debates over the issue.

Out of the 193 members of parliament, only 17 are women, while the cabinet of 46 has 8 women.

This places Malawi at the bottom of the list of 14 member countries of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), that is targeting a minimum of 30 percent representation of women in decision making positions by 2005.