By: Bernadettah Kaphwiyo
Malawi has been ranked second among 33 countries in Africa on tolerance rate for people of different ethnicity, religions, and nationalities as well as tolerance for people living with HIV/AIDS according to the 2014/2015 Afro Barometer (what is the full title of the source).
According to a press statement made available to The Malawi Star, most African countries demonstrated a large tolerant attitude toward social differences.
The 2014/2015 barometer shows that “the tolerant attitudes in most of these countries are as a result of vast exposure to media as well as education on the African continent.”
However the Afro barometer “highlights that Malawi is still intolerance when it comes to the acceptance of homosexuality along with some other African countries.
The country is still standing its ground in issues of legalizing Homosexuality unlike countries like Mozambique where its law decriminalized homosexuality in its penal code in 2015.
The legalization of gay rights in Mozambique came at a time when many African countries were tightening their Anti-gay laws.
Most of the African countries believe that promoting gay rights is an insult and a direct attack on their cultural and religious beliefs.
The rank for Malawi is a great achievement and a good deed to be celebrated on the 1st March as the world celebrates Zero Discrimination day.
The Afro barometer ranks Namibia on top seconded by Malawi, Burundi, Ghana and Togo as the top five African countries that have demonstrated high levels of tolerance and acceptance.
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