Malawians have been sharing photos on social media of female MPs dressed up as schoolgirls – some delighting in their outfits others unimpressed by the stunt. The country’s 193-member parliament usually has a strict dress code, but it was relaxed on Tuesday for the chamber’s 43 female politicians. MP Gotani Hara said the gesture was meant to send a strong message to girls from successful career women that “with hard work, everything is possible”. Studies show that up to 15% of Malawian girls drop out of school before finishing primary education – this is put down to a range of reasons including poverty, pregnancy or being forced into marriage. Some people found humour in how the politicians were dressed, one even carried fried maize in a plastic bottle typical of snacks that children, particularly in rural areas, take to school.
SOURCE: BBC