DEPARTMENT OF GENDER AFFAIRS

The Department of Gender Affairs exists to ensure that all gender groups including men, women, boys and girls participate, contribute and benefit equally from the national development process. The Department is the Lead Agency of the National Gender Machinery and its functions are aimed at attaining Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) through gender mainstreaming at community, district and national level.  The Department’s mandate emanates from the various International and National frameworks on Gender Equality which Malawi is a party to. The International Instruments include; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially Goal no. 5 on Gender Equality, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), the Beijing Platform and Declaration for Action, the Maputo Protocol and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.  At National Level, the Department’s functions are derived from the Republican Constitution (Sections 13, 20 and 24), the National Gender Policy, the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (2006); the Deceased Estates (Wills and Inheritance Protection) Act (2011); the Gender Equality Act (2013) and the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act (2015). The department has Gender Officers in all the districts except Likoma and Neno.

Vision

The department envisions a vibrant and just society where women and the girl child are protected and empowered to actively participate in development on an equal basis with men and boys.

Mission

The mission of the department is to promote gender equality through women empowerment and gender mainstreaming.

Goal

To reduce gender inequalities and enhance participation of women, men, girls and boys in socio economic development processes.