NGOCCR recommends integration of governance, accountability guidelines in Constituency Women’s Fund implementation

The Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for Child Rights (NGOCCR) has recommended that government should develop clear governance and accountability guidelines in the implementation of the proposed Constituency Women’s Fund.

NGOCCR Programme Officer Faith Iwalani made recommendation at the presentation of key findings from the 2026-2027 Child Friendly Budget Analysis to the cluster on Social and Community Affairs Committees and Local Authorities in Lilongwe last Monday.

Iwalani said it is important that the government should formulate guidelines and accountability mechanisms in the management of the fund, which aims to economically empower women in all constituencies in Malawi.

“The government has committed MK5 billion per constituency, with 100 million earmarked for women’s economic empowerment. But we are concerned about the lack of guidelines and accountability mechanisms,” she said.

“We want to ensure that the women who truly qualify for support are identified and empowered to advance their services in their constituencies.”

Iwalani further recommended that the government should conduct a proper needs assessment in each constituency to identify the women who require support, observing the varying needs and sizes of constituencies.

“We are calling on the government to do the right thing from the beginning, and ensure that the Constituency Women’s Fund is managed transparently and accountably. So it’s crucial to conduct a needs assessment to know who qualifies for support. Ultimately, we want to see the fund empowering women who can, in turn, empower others. We want these women to be able to multiply the impact of the support they receive, and empower other women in their constituencies,” she emphasized.

Speaking earlier, the National Children’s Commission (NCC) Vice Board Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe called upon policymakers to prioritize the needs of children in the 2026/2027 national budget, saying that the current allocation of resources is not reflective of the country’s commitment to its future generations.

Kondowe questioned whether the budget would look the same if Malawi’s children had written it themselves.

“Two days ago, children met with Honourable Members of Parliament to reflect on the proposed budget, and their message was simple but powerful: ‘Do not plan our future without us. They spoke about classrooms that are too crowded to learn in, clinics without medicines, and walking long distances for unsafe water,” he said.

Kondowe emphasized that a national budget is not just a financial document, but a moral statement of a nation’s priorities, revealing who matters, who is protected, and whose future we choose to invest in.

He therefore urged policymakers to deliberately, consistently, and boldly invest in children, citing the need to address the challenges facing the country, including poverty, inequality, crime, and lost human potential.

“Every kwacha invested in children today prevents a much greater cost tomorrow,” Kondowe said. “The National Children’s Commission stands ready to work with Parliament, Government, development partners, civil society, and child-led structures to ensure that children’s voices are not merely heard, but acted upon.”

Kondowe concluded by urging policymakers to prioritize the needs of children, saying that one day, Malawi’s children will judge the decisions made in rooms like this.

“Let history record that when the moment came, we chose to invest in their future,” he said.

 

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