Malawian pastors join fight to save LGBTQ+ victims from violent thugs

LGBTQ+ people in Malawi have issued fresh calls for the government to introduce laws protecting their rights, as members of the community continue to report physical attacks, entrenched stigma and barriers to accessing healthcare.

A 30-year-old lesbian woman from Mpemba, along with others from Ndirande and Machinjiri, said the current legal environment is directly infringing on their rights, leaving them exposed to violence and discrimination, including significant difficulties accessing services at public health facilities.

Their calls have found unlikely allies within the local community, with Group Village Headman Mpingo from Somba area, Mpemba pastors’ fraternity chairperson Pastor Wilson Matebule, and Blantyre coordinator for the Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Affected by HIV and Aids, Pathias Kaira, all urging duty bearers to step up support for key populations.

When approached for comment, Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale declined to respond to the issue.

The renewed appeal comes over a year after Malawi’s Constitutional Court refused to overturn laws criminalising same-sex relationships in June 2024, a ruling that has left LGBTQ+ Malawians continuing to face significant legal restrictions and diminished protection under the law.

Rights advocates say the combination of criminalisation and social stigma continues to leave LGBTQ+ Malawians acutely vulnerable, both to violence within their communities and to systemic exclusion from essential services, including healthcare — a gap that campaigners argue is likely to persist without meaningful legal reform.