JB at high-level ‘Global Conference’ in Argentina

Malawi’s former President Joyce Banda has said the serious challenges women face, especially in the developing countries, include being caught up in the vicious cycle of poverty resulting from lack of income, education, poor health, maternal mortality and HIV/aids, among others.

Helen Clark and JB during the panel discussion
Helen Clark and JB during the panel discussion
Helen Clark, JB and other panelists
Helen Clark, JB and other panelists
JB and fellow panelists in Argentina
JB and fellow panelists in Argentina

Banda made the remarks during a high-level interactive panel ‘armchair discussion’ in Buenos Aires Argentina from May 6 to 8, 2015. It was organized by the UNDP and more than 100 people attended, including a strong media presence.

Other panelists included Rebecca Grynspan, Executive Director, Ibero-American Secretariat, and Aisha Buhari, wife of President of Nigeria, Amelia Valcarcel, Councillor of State, Spain, Ahmed Al-Jarawn, President, Arab Parliament, UAE and Maria Cristina Perceval, Argentine Ambassador to the United Nations.

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchnerof Argentina, Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator and PhumizileMlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women also presented keynote speeches at the conference.

“I feel that if we are to transform the lives of communities, women must be given all every opportunity to acquire income, access education and better medical services, among others.

“We have not been able to achieve MDG goals 3 (women’s empowerment and gender equality) and 5 (maternal health) because we’ve denied women these opportunities,” said the former Head of State, adding that a holistic approach in ending poverty in more than imperative.

Tackling the challenges and opportunities for women in agriculture, Banda said women are the natural producers, crop production is what most African women have been doing for thousands of years.

“Therefore, providing support to women by providing better agricultural technologies, extension services and farm inputs would ensure food security and income for rural peasant families.  Investing in agriculture, especially women farmers, is the easiest wayto accelerating economic emancipation of communities,” she emphasized.

Banda noted that in these times of climate change, leaders on the continent “ought to think outside the box” and abandon the “business as usual” approach in confronting the adverse impact of climate change.

“Rain patterns have changed.  Therefore there will be need to introduce large scale irrigation, appropriate technology, mechanization, commercialization and value addition.  Dr. Nkosazana Zuma once said ‘the hoe must find its way to the museum.  It has saved women well but now women of Africa deserve better’. This is the approach we must be adopting now,” she said.

In her contribution, Banda largely spoke about the critical priorities to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in a future development agenda and the importance of investing in women farmers, not only as a way to improve the lives of women, but to drive development progress overall.

Her session was moderated by Helen Clark, Head of UNDP and former Prime Minister of New Zealand. It was entitled “Challenges and Experiences Reducing Povertyand Inequality.”

The conference tackled key challenges and experiences in addressing women’s poverty and exclusion and aimed to provide a wide perspective of progress, challenges and policies and strategies since Beijing and provide a forward-looking perspective in the context of the post-2015 development agenda debates.

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Allan Barnabas Kholomana
Allan Barnabas Kholomana
8 years ago

We miss you mama JB so much

Lee Kachoka
Lee Kachoka
8 years ago

Let it benefit Malawi….. un ending heaps of resolutions on paper,No Action on the ground…Talk Shop!

kamps zico
kamps zico
8 years ago

mayi ,mbava yayikulu come home and show us where you deposited the money for jet sales,shamless woman.That could be a high profile meeting for thieves syphoning money through the JB foundation,which country is JB representing? This is schezophrenia at highest level

mzamba wamkulu
mzamba wamkulu
8 years ago

mama yomweyokuli wawawa. mukuopa chani amunanu. anagwila anzanu a cashgate then u implicate her so that u lay under the mat concealing the kayerekera scam n the 92bn mk? no gyz. God iz watching u.

Tsamba Likagwa
Tsamba Likagwa
8 years ago

Congratulations Mai for being on such a Panel Discussion. Interact more with women in decision-making positions to feedback on the rural masses across the globe.

Dr Fletcher Phiri
Dr Fletcher Phiri
8 years ago

How can I get hold of her?any ideas

Ndepele
8 years ago

U inspire me so much MAMA. pheeee! Be cool the ANGELS are fighting for you God loves you. AMEN

Joseph Msumba-Bolero
Joseph Msumba-Bolero
8 years ago

anabako kwanu! idiot

Joseph Msumba-Bolero
Joseph Msumba-Bolero
8 years ago

PP yanyamuka odi ukoo! mukuopa chaa! this time tagwilizana ndi kokoliko!!!!!!!

alekekuba
alekekuba
8 years ago

Is this what you call highlevel? Mama aujire kunyumba nambo paja akuti atandite ka ganyu kwereko. Tatusimane patamalepo

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