The Vice President of Malawi, Jane Ansah, has said that legal frameworks alone are insufficient to advance women’s rights across Africa.
She said there is a need for a comprehensive, holistic strategy to drive real change and urged governments across the continent to pursue additional measures.
Ansah made the call in Enugu at the weekend during the 60th birthday celebration of renowned Nigerian human rights advocate, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
She harped on the need for integrated approaches that tackle social, economic, institutional, and cultural barriers to gender equality.
The Vice President said that women’s rights are not peripheral but central to sustainable democracy and development, adding that African governments must move beyond policy declarations to actionable reforms.
Ansah acknowledged progress made through legal instruments such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act, but noted that gender inequality persists due to weak enforcement, institutional gaps, and entrenched patriarchal systems.
She warned that Africa’s plural legal systems, spanning statutory, customary, and religious frameworks, often undermine women’s access to justice, leaving many without adequate protection.
According to her, challenges including gender-based violence, harmful traditional practices, and economic exclusion are broader development concerns that demand coordinated, multi-sectoral responses.
She further highlighted economic disempowerment as a major barrier, noting that limited access to land, credit, and financial systems continues to sideline women, particularly in rural areas.
Ansah also pointed to emerging threats such as digital inequality, climate change, and migration, which disproportionately affect women and girls.
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