Government under fire over abortion, LGBTI

The World Congress of Families (WCF), an international Christian movement says government is lacking a clear position on abortion and minority rights issues because of donor pressure.

WCF, an American–based coalition which promotes Christian values and is known for its stand against LGBTI and abortion rights, is holding a two-day conference in Malawi, ending today in Lilongwe.

Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the conference yesterday, WCF president Brian Brown said Africa, Malawi inclusive, is under pressure from the West to adopt what he termed “evil cultures” which are not in line with traditional values.

Said Brown: “We follow the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights of 1948. There is no clause which talks about minority rights.”

Reverend Zac Kawalala of Word Alive Ministries International, who was one of the speakers, said government does not want to take a clear position on the matter because it does not want to lose donor support.

Said Kawalala: “During a march organised by the Church, government, through the Solicitor General [Janet Banda], pleaded that we cancel the match because there was no bill on abortion.”

But in an interview, Solicitor General Janet Banda denied playing double standards, stressing that there is no bill on abortion.

“The Law Commission has given us recommendations and that is different from a bill. Government has no position, this is why we had asked for a public inquiry on the matter by the Malawi Human Rights Commission,” she said.

In a separate interview, Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence said government has a position on LGBTI issues.

He said: “We have an HIV policy that is inclusive and we have HIV programmes that are reaching out to every Malawian. Government also accepted two recommendations at the UN in Geneva to address violence against LGBTI people.”

He advised the Church to promote love and not violence and discrimination against LGBTI persons.