Our men sign up to HeForShe Gender Equality Commitments
British High Commission men led by the High Commissioner, Michael Nevin, sign up to HeForShe Gender Equality Commitments
The High Commissioner and some of the men display the commitment cards
Over 40 male members of staff of British High Commission have signed up to the HeForShe Commitments in which they promise never to commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against Women and Girls, and to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The UN Women led campaign on promoting women empowerment and gender equality engages men and boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights. The campaign was officially launched here in Malawi by H.E. Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, who is the global champion for HeForShe, on February 25th 2015.
The British High Commissioner to Malawi, Michael Nevin, led the male staff in making the commitments. He said, on Friday 11 September 2015, that the UK government’s assistance to Malawi included the centrality of programmes that empower women and girls. However, it was important for male staff to also be agents for change in their own communities and country by turning their commitments in to advocacy.
These issues, according to the High Commissioner, were not unique to Malawi, and the UK also needed to improve the position of women as equal partners in society. So all those signing up were part of a global movement that aimed to change attitudes and behaviour to the benefit of all.
In that vein, the High Commissioner hoped that the membership of the Boards of the Malawi Human Right Commission and the National Aids Commission could be revisited given the serious gender imbalances that now existed following the appointment of new commissioners.
On her part, Country Representative for UN Women in Malawi, Alice Shackelford hailed the British High Commission for making institutional commitments towards gender equality. She said that UN Women was impressed with the progress so far made in the campaign both locally and internationally.
You too can action by going to HEFORSHE website