Malawi First Lady Gertrude Mutharika on Thursday officially opened the Pan African Women Parliamentarians Conference at the Pan African Parliament (PAP) headquarters in Johanesburg, South Africa.

The first lady, who served as a member of the Pan African Parliament between 2011 and 2014, was invited by PAP to open the annual two-day conference slated for Thursday and Friday.

The conference, under the theme: ‘Ten Years of Existence of the PAP; Reflections on Its Role’ has been organised in line with the obligations of PAP to promote the principles of human rights and democracy in Africa as stipulated in articles 3(2) and 3 (4) of the PAP constitution.

The conference will among others, discuss issues relating to the social economic and political empowerment of women in Africa, maternal health, people and security as well as prevention of all forms of violence against women in Africa.

Delegates include gender and women affairs ministers, women members of parliament as well as gender and women’s rights activists from across the continent.