Sex workers deserve as much respect as any other professional, newly elected president of the National Sex Workers Alliance Lorreta Mkulichi says. Speaking at the end of a two day sex workers meeting at Lilongwe Hotel, Mkulichi noted that sex work is like any other career. “It’s my body and I use it as a […]
A Lilongwe-based business guru is throwing in millions of kwacha in an odd business never heard of in Malawi history, strip tease club and escort agency thanks to the current government’s stance on human rights and freedom. The mogul (name withheld) says he has been encouraged by the recent announcement by Minister of Justice and […]
Over 50 sex workers from the country’s hotspots converged at Lilongwe Hotel for two days where they formed a nationwide sex workers alliance and elected a national working committee. Although sex work is illegal in the country, human rights lawyer Chrispin Sibande said since the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to association and opinion, […]
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) have asked Malawians not to use religion and culture to ‘punish’ homosexuals and other sexual minorities. CHRR Programmes Manager Timothy Mtambo made the call Monday in Mzuzu in his key note address to mark the opening of a two-day workshop […]
Malawi’s political rabble-rouser Kamlepo Kalua who has been backing President Mrs. Joyce Banda has for the first time attacked her government accusing it of “abandoning God” for suspending a law banning same-sex relationships. Kalua has been strong backer of the President’s economic reforms since Banda took over as the country’s leader following the death of Bingu […]
Malawi High Court Judge Dunstain Mwaungulu, who is also an authoritative commentator on topical issues on various internet discussion forum, has spoken against the move taken by the government to suspend anti-homosexuality laws. Under the country’s penal code, men can be sentenced for up to 14 years and women to five years for homosexuality. But […]
Human rights group Amnesty International (AI) has applauded Malawi government following the announcement by Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara that Police have been ordered not to arrest or prosecute homosexuals until parliament has debated on whether to to repeal the anti-homosexuality laws. Kasambara made the announcement during a debate Thursday night in Lilongwe, that after President […]
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara has said the country has temporary suspended the controversial same-sex laws until Malawians through Parliament make a decision on the criminalising same-sex relationships. Malawi is currently struggling to accept homosexuals, gays and lesbian due to stringent criminal laws coupled by conservative cultural and traditional beliefs among many […]
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) is supposedly, an independent institution established under Chapter XI of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, mandated to promote and protect human rights in the broadest sense possible, and to investigate violations of human rights on its own volition or upon complaints received from any person, class of persons or body. […]
The Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi AsbjØrn Eidhammer says Malawians have more freedom today than at any time before telling from the strides the country has made in the areas of democracy and human rights in the past months. Eidhammer made the observation on Friday in Lilongwe during the signing of two agreements among the Norwegian […]
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) says human rights issues need to be integrated in HIV and AIDS programmes especially at work places, saying the latter (HIV and AIDS) is in also a human rights issue. Commissioner for the MHRC, Dalitso Kubalasa, made the remarks in Mzuzu when he opened a meeting on rights based approach […]
Fierce government critic John Kapito has called on Malawians to rise up and stand for their economic rights for a better life, maintaining his controversial call for the Joyce Banda administration to step down. Kapito, who has been making headlines for asking President Banda to resign, again made his case on Capital Radio’s Straight Talk program […]
There is no doubt that Malawi is a very different country with Joyce Banda in State House – a country that is returning to the path of democracy, constitutional government and respect for human rights. It is a reality acknowledged in a new report by the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), entitled The […]
Two outspoken Malawian activists have taken to the social media to criticise the visit of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the country accusing him of “war crimes” like Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir. Blantyre-based think-tank Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) executive director Rafiq Hajat argued that if Malawi could bar Bashir from visiting the […]
A prominent Malawian civil rights activist, Rafiq Hajat , says he will continue to soldier on in his activism role, saying the reason he became an activist was to fight poverty among poor Malawians and not to get government appointments. Hajat , who is head of Blantyre-based think tank Institute for Policy Interaction, told Nyasa Times that rumours […]
Malawians are being asked to treat those who have homosexual tendencies with respect and compassion, two leading rights groups said on Thursday. Mrs Charity Salima, board member of the technical working group for Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for Development of People (CEDEP), told media practitioners at a training workshop that […]
President Mrs Joyce Banda has challenged the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to effectively perform its advisory role to the executive arm of government without fear or favour. The president made the challenge Wednesday during the swearing in ceremony of seven newly commissioner of the HRC in Lilongwe. President Banda emphasised: “I am also particularly interested […]
Six Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Officers have pleaded not guilty to murder charge in a case where they are accused to have clobbered to death a suspect who was in custody. The much awaited trial, which commenced at Mzuzu High Court on Tuesday, is closely watched and is seen as a test case of how […]