Minister Roza claims broke women are more likely to be beaten by their husbands — then hands out cash to prove her point

A Malawian government minister has claimed that empowering women financially could help shield them from domestic violence — as she splashed out cash to a women’s savings group in a bid to prove her point.

Roza Fatch Mbilizi, who serves as both MP for Mangochi Central and Minister of Agriculture, made the bold claim during a visit to a Village Savings and Loans group in Thundu ward, in the southern district of Mangochi.

“Cases of violence that many women face in marriages could be reduced if women take the lead in developing themselves and become financially independent.”
— Minister Roza Fatch Mbilizi

The minister told the gathered women that cases of violence within marriages could fall if women took charge of their own development and stopped relying financially on their husbands.

She urged the group to branch out into business ventures, insisting it would not only lift individual households out of poverty but also give the wider Malawian economy a boost.

Mbilizi didn’t stop at words of encouragement — she dug into her own pocket, or rather the ministry’s, donating funds to top up the group’s lending and savings scheme.

“The support will help increase a saving culture among women and reduce the financial challenges that they face in the area.”
— Group Village Headman Issa Mponda

Local leader Group Village Headman Issa Mponda welcomed the cash boost, saying it would help foster a stronger savings culture among women in the area and ease the financial struggles many of them face daily.

The visit is the latest in a string of grassroots outreach efforts by senior Malawian politicians, as officials look to shore up support in rural constituencies ahead of looming political battles.