Father Robert Mwaungulu, a commissioner in the Special Law Commission on the development of a Gender Equality Statute, who also holds a doctorate degree in law said the aim of this particular clause in the proposed law is to protect the dignity of women.
He said the commission observed that the Censorship and Control of Entertainment Act is outdated and although it was reviewed in 2001 it has not been enacted.
“Therefore the commission strongly urges the government to look into the enactment of the Act and in addition recommends the incorporation into the Gender Equality Act a specific provision in a Part specifically aimed at newspapers and other periodicals,” explains Father Mwaungulu.
He says the commission thus recommends the introduction of legal provisions that enshrine the protection of all persons in the print media; prohibition of gender stereotyping in the print media; and criminal punishment of violation of dignity in the print media.
Interim chairman of the yet to be launched Cartoonists and Illustrators Union of Malawi (CartIUM), M'theto Lungu said they are in the process of establishing a body to look at how they can avoid irresponsible regulation.
Lungu, one of the country's few accomplished cartoonists and illustrators said although the union's objectives will include copyrighting, respect for intellectual property, censorship, networking, training and capacity building they will also defend the freedom of expression.
“To be a cartoonist in Malawi is a challenging thing. First, you have to balance between the political need and that of the society you need to educate and to add this kind of law...would be even more challenging,” said Lungu.
The Special Law Commission on the development of a Gender Equality Statute has already labeled a number of cartoon strips appearing in the country's daily and weekly newspaper that could be victimised once the proposed law comes to pass.
