Pa r tner s yes terday described Malawi’s human rights agenda as being on the right track ahead of the country’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations Human Rights Council and the September 16 General Election.
The sentiments were expressed yesterday in Lilongwe when United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and development partners held a high-level advocacy and media engagement where they showcased efforts to strengthen human rights protection in Malawi.
In her remarks, UNDP resident representative Fenella Frost said the ongoing project, jointly funded by the governments of Norway and Iceland, is designed to reinforce Malawi’s human rights institutions while amplifying the voices of vulnerable groups.
She said: “At the heart of this initiative is investment in national institutions like the Ministry of Justice, MHRC, the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Statistical Office. But equally important is reaching the communities where real lives are impacted.”
Frost described testimonies of project beneficiaries, including a young woman who escaped child marriage and a man with a disability who regained his property rights through legal assistance, as a powerful reminder of why human rights work matters.
She also highlighted the importance of Malawi’s upcoming UPR, a peer-review process through which UN member States assess each other’s human rights records.
In the wake of the forthcoming elections , Frost emphasised the role of human rights institutions in safeguarding peace and the civic space.
MHRC executive secretary Habiba Osman acknowledged Malawi’s progressive human rights laws, but decried a persistent gap in access to justice, particularly for marginalised groups.
“Prisoner s , refugees , older persons, persons with albinism—these are the people being left behind despite strong laws,” she said. “We see rising concerns about restricted media freedom and freedom of assembly as we move toward elections.”
Osman also raised the alarm over underfunded governance institutions.
She said: “MHRC, Legal Aid Bureau and the Office of the Ombudsman are watchdogs of the State. Yet, without sufficient funding, we rely heavily on CSOs. This project has helped bridge that gap, encouraging collaboration instead of silos.”
Meanwhile, Norwegian Ambassador Ingrid Marie Mikelsen said the project’s greatest strength lies in giving a voice to those most often excluded.
She also empha s i sed the role of data in driving accountability.
Echoing this, Iceland’s Head of Mission David Bjarnason said human rights should not be treated as abstract or distant, saying “they’re real issues in every community. This project works because it brings together institutions, civil society and the people to make those rights visible and livable.”
