Malawi to review Human Rights Act — Justice Minister
Minister of Justice and Constitution Affairs, Samuel Tembenu has disclosed that Government will review the Human Rights Act to ensure proper and robust legislative framework to enable Malawians fully enjoy their rights on access to information.
Tembenu said this in Lilongwe Friday, as Malawi joined the African countries in celebrating 30 years of African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
The charter aimed to challenge balance and moderate quest for rights and freedom with duty and obligation to themselves, others and their country to collectively promote human dignity, achieve sustainable democracy and development.
“The recently assented to the Access to Information Bill is a milestone in our commitment to ensure the fully enjoyment of the rights to information as enshrined in the constitution,” he said.
Tembenu added that Malawi has also enacted various human rights convention in the areas of human rights and become part of a global movement for human rights.
He further said a number of laws have been enacted in the advancement of human rights, noting that development of a good legislative framework forms a strong basis for the protection and promotion of human rights. These include: Gender Equality Act of 2013, the prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 2006 and Trafficking in Persons Act of 2015 among others.
Tembenu then commended various efforts made by state actors in enacting and implementing various policies, non-state actors and Civil Society Organizations in their relentless efforts in promotion of rights of people with albinism, trafficking of persons, children, women and elderly rights among others.
He also said as part of the celebration, this is an opportunity to take note of the challenges the country is facing in order to guarantee the enjoyment of the rights of all Malawians and to encourage each other to work collectively towards combating these challenges.
“Persons with albinism continue to face challenges in fully enjoying their rights. The government is taking this matter very seriously and has implemented various measures to combat the malpractice.
“The establishment of the technical team by the State President as well as amending relevant laws to mete out stiffer punishments to perpetrators of heinous crimes against persons with albinism,” explained Tembenu.
He added that government has also developed a handbook to guide investigation and prosecution of offences affecting persons with albinism.
Tembenu also said Malawi still face challenges in the rampant increase in early child marriages and protecting children from exploitation.
He then urged Malawians to ensure that they refrain from practicing harmful cultural practices that infringe rights of the participants in these practices and to remember collective responsibility towards their children.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
It’s so easy to sit in government and say what should be done, pass laws, issue handbooks, but albinos continue to live in fear, early marriages are plentiful, because these laws are not implemented: the police lack the will and the resources to make sure large sections of the Malawian population are safe, secure, able to enjoy their rights.
Malawi land of torture.