Africa-Press – Malawi. The right to adequate housing is a central component of women’s rights to equality under international human rights law, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Kondwani Nankhumwa has said.
Nankhumwa was in Mzuzu in the northern region at the weekend where, among several engagements, he visited an underprivileged woman, Joyce Nyausisya, at Msongwe who lives with a 15-year old boy with disability. The pair lives in a dilapidated grass-thatched hut that is completely insecure in the event of hostile weather and thuggery.
Visiting the pair on Sunday, August 8, 2021, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament said it is extremely worrying that most women and girls in Malawi live in insecure and unsafe homes, which exposes them to abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.
“Women play a pivotal role in our country’s political, social and economic development. As an ardent believer in the rights of women and girls, I shall ensure that I play my humble part in ensuring that as a country, we achieve genuine gender equality by advocating for policies and actions that promote the rights of women and children.
“As Leader of Opposition in Parliament, I will work with my colleagues to ensure that we remove any form of discrimination and abuse that our women and girls face at all level of our society and also ensure that we help raise themselves out of poverty through formulation and adoption of friendly legislation,” said Nankhumwa.
Nankhumwa, who is also Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for southern region, said after assessing the challenges that Joyce Nyausisya and the young boy face, he had decided to start financing construction of a better house for the pair this week and also buy a wheelchair for the boy.
Nyausisya was overwhelmed by the pledge and could not help but shed tears of joy at receiving the good news. She expressed gratitude to the Leader of the Opposition and prayed to God “to continue blessing him”.
A number of DPP national and regional leaders, including Members of Parliament (MPs) Julius Chione, Nkhata Bay North-east, and Yusuf Nthenda, Mulanje West.
Earlier in the morning, Nankhumwa attended a church service at St. Andrews CCAP of the Livingstonia Synod in Mzuzu. It was a special service where an induction ceremony for the new Church Minister, Isaiah Vwiyapo Mhone.
Addressing the congregation, the Leader of Opposition encouraged them to give the Man of God every support for him to succeed in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. He advised the new Church Minister to treat all Christians at the church equally, without regard to either tribe or where they come from originally.
