LILONGWE – MALAWI: The Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organisations (MANEPO) recently highlighted significant gender inequities in the Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) during a study conducted in collaboration with HelpAge International.
The study aimed to assess the impact of age and gender on the SCTP, targeting various stakeholders including beneficiaries and program implementers across three districts in Malawi namely Mzimba, Dowa and Balaka.
During the dissemination of the findings in Lilongwe on Friday, March 21, 2025, MANEPO revealed that older women face challenges in accessing information about the SCTP, which is viewed as secretive, with unclear selection criteria.
“Many older women feel that the program does not adequately address their specific needs, leading to feelings of marginalization,” said Andrew Kavala, MANEPO Executive Director.
Existing beneficiaries further reported dissatisfaction with payment modalities, particularly with e-payments, which can lead to funds being misdirected through intermediaries.
The study recommends the establishment of a dedicated social protection program for older persons, particularly advocating for an old age grant, as suggested by the recently enacted Older Persons Act.
“With the policy makers who came for this meeting, we have also agreed to continuously engage so that at the end of the day, we have a specific social protection system that is in place that is addressing the vulnerabilities of older people through old age grants,” Kavala stated.
Rozaliya Judge, a beneficiary from Dowa, expressed difficulty in sustaining her family on the current support amount of K5, 000, requesting increased allocations especially for families with special needs.
Anastazio Matewere, Chief Social Welfare Officer at the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in Malawi, acknowledged the study’s findings as “reflective of real-life situations” and pledged to consider the issues raised for policy enhancements.
Other recommendations include increasing program awareness among older women, improving digital literacy, ensuring better coverage by Mobile Money Operators, and leveraging community radios for outreach.
