CSOs demands govt to act on UN recommendations

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has asked Malawi government to domesticate international covenants that it signs with international organisations and act on the recommendations the United Nation has made of the status of civil and political rights in Malawi.

The CSOs led by Centre for Human Rights (CHRR) and Centre for the Development of people (CEDEP) said UN gave Malawi 24 recommendations that government was to meet and implement within one year.

CHRR director Timothy Mtambo and Cedep director Gift Trapence warned government on Saturday that it would face civil disobedience if it will not respond to the recommendations that were highlighted by the UN.

“It is the responsibility of government to ensure that people enjoy their rights and it is our responsibility to ensure that government adhere and implement the recommendations,” said Mtambo.

Mtambo said UN Human Rights Committee commended Malawi government for the adoption of prevention of domestic violence, adoption of the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act, the adoption of the Deceased Estates and the adoption of the Gender Equality.

“But what happens after these ratification and adoptions. This is where we, the civil society comes in to monitor government,” he said.

Trapence said despite the UN commending Malawi on the steps it has taken, it also highlighted a number of concerns including that most of the covenants that Malawi government signs are not legislated in Malawi.

“It was also noted that Malawi Human Rights Commission is underfunded, high level mortality rate, criminisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and Intersex persons.

“There is also reports of extra-judicial killing, high number of reported cases of torture and also worse conditions in prison,” he said.

The CSOs, however, commended government for making itself available before the United Nations Human Rights Committee.