Gender equality is a goal for all the gender justice programming, women empowerment and girls’ empowerment interventions being championed in Malawi and elsewhere in the world. Gender equality recognises that human beings have equal rights regardless of their gender or sex. It is very central to the realization of Malawi`s development paths in the Malawi Vision 2063 and its development plans over the years. 

With regard to Global Gender Gap Index3 and the Gender Inequality Index4 , Malawi has a place in low rankings: 101 out of 144 countries and 171 out of 189 countries respectively5 . These low rankings are relatively due to low education attainment and a low score of economic participation and opportunities for women.

Malawi is largely rural with 84 percent of the population living in rural areas and deriving their livelihoods from agriculture. In 2018, Malawi’s female population was estimated at 9.2 million, representing 51 percent, while the male population was approximately 8.9 million, representing 49 percent. The 2018 Census shows that about 49 percent were aged 18 years or older and the median age of the population is 17 years. Hence, the age and sex pyramid show that Malawi’s population is still youthful. The youth are central to the Malawi Vision 2063 as catalysts for the realisation of the vision. In terms of religion among others, shapes gender attitudes, beliefs and practices, the 2018 census showed that over 70 percent of Malawians are Christians and around 14 percent are Moslems. 

The census also revealed a 68.6 percent literacy rate in Malawi, with the literacy rates higher for men than women, at 71.6 percent and 65.9 percent respectively. There is gender equality in school attendance rates, which show that 94 percent of girls aged 6-13 attend primary schools compared with 93 percent of boys. However, only 5 percent of females and 9 percent of males have completed secondary school or gone beyond secondary school6 . Investment in human capital development is an enabler for the Malawi Vision 2063 and hence investing in education of women and girls will be crucial to ensure gender equality. Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2015-2016 shows that maternal mortality in Malawi is still high at 439/100,000 live births. 

About 32 percent of agricultural holdings are held by women, this is a higher percentage compared to other African countries although it is not equal8 . 

As of 2018, Malawi had a total of 3,984,929 households, of which 1,401,211 were female headed, representing 35 percent10. In terms of urban and rural areas, 81 percent of households in urban areas are headed by males and around 20 percent are headed by females. In rural areas, 73 percent of the households are headed by males while 27 percent are headed by females. Age wise, 28 percent of the households are headed by females aged 24 years or less and 22 percent of the households are headed by females aged 35-49 years old. About 57 percent of female-headed households are poor compared to 43 percent of their maleheaded counterparts11. Dominantly, 92 percent of female headed households are those with widows.

The NSO 2013 Malawi Labour Force Survey (MLFS) shows that 89 percent of employed persons in Malawi are engaged in informal employment and is more prevalent in the rural areas. Women are dominantly employed in informal employment than the males (NSO, 2013). In rural areas, the percentage of employed persons in informal employment is 91 percent compared to 69 percent in urban areas. There are gender disparities in wage employment in non-agriculture and agricultural sectors, with women constituting 30 percent of total wage employment in non-agriculture sectors in Malawi. The percentage share of women in wage employment in non agriculture in rural areas is higher than in urban areas. The 2013 MLFS indicates that the female and male shares of senior management employment are as low as 0.32 percent for males and 0.07 percent for females. The proportions of those in senior and middle management positions for females and male are higher in urban areas than in rural areas. One`s level of education determines their representation in high status occupation and women are negatively affected than men as such the unemployment rate is higher among females, at 26 percent, than among males, at 14 percent. The urban and rural unemployment rate is 28 percent and 19 percent respectively12. There are, therefore, less women of 15-64 years involved in the labor force, i.e. 73 percent compared to men at 82 percent within the economically active population. 

In 2017, the MDHS reported that 61 percent of men who were employed were paid in cash compared with 30 percent, of women while 59 percent of women were not being paid for their labour compared to 26 percent of men. Women do more unpaid care work than men and it is particularly acute among younger men and women. The women to men unequal distribution of care work restrains women from participating in politics, income-generating activities there by limiting their decision-making power and control over assets at the household level.

The Malawi Demographic Health Survey shows that 47 percent of females are married by age 18 and the majority will have their first child by age 19.