It is only when a woman is economically empowered that she can negotiate at household level with her husband about the number of children that body of hers can have.
Interpretation
Economic empowerment allows women to make informed choices in their personal lives.
This quote emphasizes the crucial link between women's economic empowerment and their ability to make decisions about reproductive health and family planning. When women have financial independence, they gain the confidence and authority to negotiate important matters, such as the number of children they wish to have, which is fundamental to their rights and overall well-being.
In practice
In a speech about gender equality, I want to highlight Joyce Banda's perspective on women's empowerment.
When I gave birth to my fourth child, I suffered from post partum hemorrhaging. I almost lost my life. I was lucky to be under the care of trained health care personnel. I started wondering then what was happening to women in rural villages.
You ask how I feel to be the first female president in southern Africa? It's heavy for me. Heavy in the sense that I feel that I'm carrying this heavy load on behalf of all women.
I sat down in 1989 and I made up my mind at that point that I was going to spend the rest of my life assisting women and youth to gain social and political empowerment through business and education. I convinced myself economic empowerment of women was going to be key, especially in a country like this where most women didn't go to school.
I convinced myself economic empowerment of women was going to be key, especially in a country like this where most women didn't go to school.
My father once told me when I was a young girl that I was destined to do great things. His belief in my abilities and ambition is rooted deeply in the spirit of Malawians; resilient and determined for a better Malawi and a better Africa.
An African woman carries heavy loads anyway. That's how we are trained; we are brought up that nothing is unbearable. I use that now, positively. I use that now to have the thick skin that I have, and not fear, and move forward, and push; and push forward.
It is the most powerful creation to have life growing inside of you. There is no bigger gift.
It seemed cruel for a day to dawn so fair and end so foul as this one promised to.
All good things in life are fragile and easily lost
My death from the wrists, two name tags, blood worn like a corsage to bloom one on the left and one on the right.
So you can't dance? Not at all? Not even one step? How can you say that you've taken any trouble to live when you won't even dance?
I hope to stay light on my feet, to work in many modes, to seek inspiration always, and avoid the fatal. But, as we all know, it is the price of life to burn out, both metaphorically and literally.
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