Last Tuesday I had the great fortune to meet with one of the foremost human rights activists in Malawi, Mrs. Emmie Chanika. First as a nurse for the Red Cross, and currently as founder and executive director of the Civil Liberties Committee, she has worked tirelessly promoting human rights in Malawi for over 30 years, covering everything from women’s rights and empowerment, gender-based violence, prison reform, political activism and constitutional rights, water and sanitation, and poverty alleviation.
As I sat waiting to meet with her, she was in the midst of instructing her staff to call a press conference in response to the Malawians harassed, abused, and killed in the horrific acts of xenophobia happening in South Africa. Then she turned to me and I described to her the research I am doing and the information I am trying to collect on gender issues in Blantyre. To my delight, she started talking… and I just sat and listened. I can’t capture this two hour conversation in words, so I’ll leave you with just a few “sound bites.”
“There is money in the third-world, it is just mishandled. We are not a poor country. Africa is not a poor continent.” ex) On opening day, the “Shoprite” (Malawi’s biggest and nicest supermarket) in Blantyre made 12 million kwacha (1 US dollar = 140 Kwacha).
“If women raise issues, stand up for their rights here in Malawi… the response is, ‘Doesn’t she have a man to control her? Doesn’t she have babies to take care of?”
“HIV/AIDS…it came…and we start politicizing, saying stuff like it’s a white man’s disease…So what! If you get shot, you don’t scream who shot me! You get to the hospital!”
A few years ago when a girl in Blantyre was raped in the streets by several street vendors, Mrs. Chanika led a march against violence… some other street vendors came to her office and said “if you have that march, then you will see!” Emmie said, “then I will see!” … and led the march.
“My passion is housing. I think dignity starts with where a person sleeps.” (speaking of some of the horrid living conditions in the urban locations surrounding Blantyre).
“The problem with being an activist, is half the people think you’re mad!” (laughing)
One of the most common, and beautiful, scenes in Malawi… and I think probably in all of Africa. If this doesn’t speak to the need for activism and advocacy for human rights, I don’t know what does.
An article on domestic violence in Malawi where Mrs. Chanika shares some important insights about how to reach rural women via awareness campaigns.
An interesting, and telling, article about dispossessing widows in Malawi, in which Mrs. Chanika (as well as Mrs. White from WLSA) is quoted.
For those of you in New Haven, Mrs. Chanika is being presented a Human Rights award at the Yale School of Nursing on June 19th, 2008.
That is conviction…I want to be like her.