Malawi enforces a strict refugee encampment policy requiring all asylum seekers and refugees to live inside the designated Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa, restricting outside movement, schooling, work and residence.
The policy is in line with the Malawi Refugees Act enacted on April 26 1989 when the country was hosting Mozambicans who fled civil war in their country.
The national refugee policy is trapping thousands of skilled people in dependency at a time humanitarian funding is declining.
If the country is to reduce aid dependence and promote economic growth, then reforming the laws that prevent refugees from working should be viewed as an economic necessity.
Under Malawi’s existing legal framework, refugees are not allowed to engage in formal employment or operate businesses outside Dzaleka Refugee Camp, formerly a notorious prison for perceived political dissidents.
Originally designed to accommodate almost 10 000 people, the camp is now home to about 63 000 refugees and asylum seekers.
Despite their diverse skills, qualifications and aspirations, most are legally confined to a space where economic opportunities are extremely limited.
Malawi is a State Party to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, yet it maintains reservations to nine provisions relating to employment, business, freedom of movement, property ownership and higher education in public institutions, among others.
These reservations form the legal basis of the country’s encampment policy and limit refugees’ ability to become self-reliant.
The consequences are evident as refugees who are willing and able to work are prevented from participating fully in the economy.
At the same time, international humanitarian funding is declining, reducing the support that refugees have long relied upon to survive.
Limited livelihood opportunities within Dzaleka have increased competition for casual labour, small businesses and other income-generating activities shared by refugees and neighbouring host communities.
Every year, many young refugees complete secondary school with the hope of building productive futures.
Yet, with the current laws and policies, they cannot enrol in Malawi’s public universities, regardless of how well they perform in the Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations.
Many cannot afford private higher education; consequently, some get vocational and technical training in carpentry, plumbing, welding, bricklaying, tailoring, and cosmetology, among others.
These skills should enable them to earn a living and contribute to society, but many graduates struggle to translate them into sustainable livelihoods given that the Dzaleka market is too small to absorb the growing number of skilled artisans.
In some instances, members of host communities engage refugees they trained alongside with, to help them when they secure businesses in carpentry and joinery for instance, within their communities.
The creative industry also presents the untapped potential of refugee talent.
Through partnerships with artists, managers and event organisers across Malawi, refugee musicians, dancers, videographers, models and other creatives can secure informal opportunities to perform and work at events beyond the camp.
As much as reforming Malawi’s refugee laws would not eliminate every challenge, it should not come at the expense of Malawian citizens.
The objective should be to create a legal framework in which refugees and host communities can both benefit from economic participation.
When refugees are allowed to work, establish businesses, and contribute taxes, they become consumers, employers, innovators, and investors rather than long-term recipients of aid. This strengthens local economies instead of placing the full burden of their support on humanitarian agencies and government.
The question is whether Malawi can afford to leave thousands of educated and skilled people economically idle while humanitarian assistance continues to shrink.
Across the region, governments are grappling with unemployment, inequality and growing public frustration over access to opportunities. The answer is not to exclude refugees indefinitely, but to adopt policies that expand economic participation for everyone.
Refugees deserve the opportunity to use their skills, support their families and contribute to the society that has provided them with safety. Done well, refugee inclusion is part of the solution for national development.
