Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of WOLREC

WOLREC programme objectives are 1) increased women’s knowledge and capacity to claim fulfilment of their socio-economic rights in Zomba and Salima Districts by 2016 and 2) Enhanced capacity of marginalized rural women in generating income in Zomba and Salima districts by 2016. The programme seeks lead to social and economic empowerment of women in Malawi. The main focus of the programme is to empower women with knowledge on their rights so that they can claim the same as well as empowering women economically so that they can improve their economic wellbeing and that of their families. In order to achieve the same, the programme has various activities which include creation of women’s and men’s groups, capacity building of men and women in human rights, capacity building for traditional leaders. The programme also has a lobbying and advocacy component whereby community members especially women will be able to engage duty bearers to demand fulfilment of their rights. The programme also promotes the economic empowerment for women. The programme will directly reach out to 3,600 females and 1,800. Indirectly the programme will benefit about 17,848 females and 14,552 males by the end of three years. Some of the expected outcomes of the programme include the following,1) Increased awareness on women’s rights by community members,2) Increased protection of women’s rights by men and traditional leaders,3) Increased recognition and respect of women’s rights by duty bearers,4) Improved economic status of women,5) Increased access to financial resources by women.