Inter Press Service profiles Malawi’s President Joyce Banda, the first female southern African head of state, briefly recounting her work since “taking over from her predecessor Bingu wa Mutharika who died in office on Apr. 5, 2012.” The news service provides excerpts from an interview with Banda about women’s empowerment. “‘The message I am trying to send is ‘Nothing for us without us’ — nothing for women without their involvement and inclusion. We need to make deliberate efforts and policies that will aim at eliminating the structural barriers posed by poverty and gender inequality in economic empowerment of women because such efforts will have long-lasting improvements on the welfare of a woman,’ Banda told IPS,” according to the news service (Banda, 8/3).