Protests Around the World: Street Harassment in Malawi
Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a former dictator of Malawi, banned women from wearing shorts skirts and pants from the years of 1963 to 1994. While this ridiculous law ended eighteen years ago, there have been repercussions in this African nation. According to The Washington Post, men in the mainly southern parts of Malawi have been stripping women of their skirts and pants. The article states, “strains of conservatism remain in the impoverished, largely rural nation. Some of the street vendors who have attacked women in recent days claimed it was un-Malawian to dress in miniskirts and pants. Some said it was a sign of loose morals or prostitute.”
However, women are not submitting to these degrading and humiliating acts of aggression. On January 20th, about 3,000 Malawi women went to the streets to protest against the harassment. They wore shirts denouncing the street vendors, chanted as they walked down the streets together, and demanded that they are treated fairly. CNN quotes Executive Director of The [Malawi] National Women ‘s Lobby Group Faustace Chirwa who said, “like a lot of Africa, there is a culture of instilling fear in women because people know they are voiceless even though they are guaranteed equality on paper.” Fortunately, the Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has sided with these women and condemned the attackers as well as promised consequences for these appalling actions.
It is important to hear the stories of women in other countries, especially because we are all working for the same goals: equality and safety. The thousands of women that came out on Friday to express their desire for these goals are the reason why our movement is so important. Who thinks some of the protestors would be the perfect creators of the Malawi chapter of Hollaback?
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