WHRD urges IMF, World Bank to come up with pro-poor policies

Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) – a network of women that exists to promote women’s rights – has joined a call by ActionAid Malawi for International Monetary Fund (IMF) to come up with reforms that would champion pro-poor and gender-just macroeconomic policies in poor countries, including Malawi.

The network, through a statement signed by WHRD Steering Committee Acting Chairperson Emma Chigwenembe, has also called upon the Malawi Government, IMF and the World Bank to develop a robust strategy on how it will cushion, women and other vulnerable groups such as youths, and those living with disabilities, amongst others.

Chigwenembe said they are concerned with the recent 44 percent devaluation of Malawi kwacha against the United States (US) dollar.

She said the network fears that the devaluation will continue to expose more vulnerability to Malawians.

“WHRD acknowledges that devaluation could be to the benefit of Malawians according to the state president’s SONA of 15^th November 2023 as it demonstrates the president’s commitment to address the needs of Malawians. However, we equally acknowledge that the devaluation will be to the detriment of women who are already marginalized. WHRD is further concerned that the devaluation comes at a time when the country has an astronomical public debt of over MK8 trillion compounded by acute forex shortage and high inflation which has paralyzed essential public services primarily accessed by women, girls, and youth,” she said.

Chigwenembe also recommended that the IMF and the World Bank should work with the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare, development partners working on gender, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to support in developing a strategy that is feminist.

She further recommended that a Special Advisor on Gender with relevant expertise in gender be appointed to advise the president on gender-related matters.

“We call upon authorities to increase funding to the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare during the mid-term budgetary reviews as persistently urged by the committee on the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in its Concluding Observations for the country; engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a gendered approach to addressing the consequence of the devaluation  WHRD pledges its continued support to bring checks and balances for good governance in terms of gender equality and most importantly to remain a key partner to the government to ensure it achieves its MW2063 and SDG aspirations,” concluded Chigwenembe.

WHRD is a network of women that exists to promote women’s rights, cognizant that women are disproportionately affected by gender inequality in all critical areas of political, economic, and social spheres.

WHRD’s role is quite critical in supporting the government to fulfill its mandate in promoting gender equality in alignment with the MW2063 on inclusive wealth creation and also in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 5.

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