Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Honourable Jean Muonaouza Sendeza, MP, has said Malawi is dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls following the country’s participation at the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).

 

The CSW69 was held in New York, United States of America from March 10 to 21, 2025. The session marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a global roadmap for gender equality adopted in 1995. Malawi joined other nations in reviewing progress made, and reaffirming commitments to the advancement of women's rights.

 

Speaking during the official opening of the Post-CSW69 stakeholder engagement meeting in Lilongwe on Monday, the Honourable Minister applauded Malawi’s delegation which included representatives from key government ministries, departments, NGOs, and civil society organisations for their collective efforts and active participation.

 

Said the Minister: “This meeting has been organised to share the outcomes and recommendations of the CSW69, and map a way forward towards their implementation. The meeting will create a platform to discuss and identify actions to be taken in implementing these recommendations towards accelerating the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in Malawi.”

Among the key recommendations from the CSW69 were the alignment of Malawi’s legal and policy frameworks with global standards, development of a localized action plan in partnership with UN Women, and the formation of a task force to track implementation progress.

 

The Minister has since called for increased stakeholder collaboration, enhanced gender data management, and stronger domestic financing for gender equality initiatives. She expressed gratitude to the United Nations and other partners for their support and emphasized that achieving gender equality requires collective effort from all sectors.