iAfrica

Be Smart About South Africa

Blantyre Welcomes Justice for Abused Female Workers

Malawi’s government has welcomed the decision by UK firm Camellia Group to pay $3m to 36 women who allege they were abused, in some cases raped, and sexually harassed at two tea estates. They worked for Eastern Produce Malawi (EPM), Camellia’s subsidiary, which is Malawi’s largest tea producer and accounts for approximately 38% of total tea output, employing thousands of workers on tea plantations in the south of the country. In October 2019, they took the matter to a UK court. A statement issued by Leigh Day, a law firm that represented the women, said there would be compensation for the individual claimants and that a number of measures designed to improve the safety and security of female employees will be introduced .Malawi’s Gender Minister Patricia Kaliati told a local newspaper that the government had been concerned to hear about the cases of abuse. “We welcome the settlement. Though government regards tea companies as partners in development, it condemns the raping and abusing women, or any other malpractices, in tea estates.”

SOURCE: BBC

Share with your network!