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.
A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book.
Lifeβs a voyage thatβs homeward bound.
I've been praying to God to show me how to forgive myself. Because... maybe... that's the thing I've been searching for.
I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do anything I wanted.
And in those varieties of pain of which we spoke anon, what a part of confidante has that poor teapot played ever since the kindly plant was introduced among us! What myriads of women have cried over it, to be sure! What sickbeds it has smoked by! What fevered lips have received refreshment from out of it! Nature meant very gently by women when she made that teaplant; and with a little thought what a series of pictures and groups the fancy may conjure up and assemble round the teapot and cup!
You can run but you can't hide... but I can try. I feel air catch in my lungs and I get a cramp in my side and this pain, this wonderful physical pain that I can place, reminds me that after all I am still alive.
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