LocationsCivil society pushes for stronger protection of migrant workers’ rights in Malawi
September 23, 2026
UNDP Governance Portfolio Manager Ms. Nanise Saune-Qaloewai delivers opening remarks.
Civil society organisations in Malawi are working together to help ensure that the experiences of migrant workers and their families are heard and their rights better protected.
At a two-day workshop in Lilongwe, representatives from civil society organisations and the Malawi Human Rights Commission are developing inputs to inform Malawi's List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW).
The workshop is being convened by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) and the Civil Society Coalition on Migration (CCM) with technical input from United Nations partners.
Malawi ratified the Convention in 2022, committing to uphold the rights and dignity of migrant workers and members of their families regardless of their migration status.
During its intersessional period from October to December 2026, the Committee on Migrant Workers will develop a List of Issues Prior to Reporting for Malawi under the simplified reporting procedure. The process provides an opportunity for civil society and other stakeholders to submit independent information to help identify priority issues affecting migrant workers and their families.
Mr. Victor Chagunyuka Mhango, Chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition on Migration and Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (CHREAA).
Opening the workshop, Victor Chagunyuka Mhango, Chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition on Migration and Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance (CHREAA), stressed that migrant workers and their families experiences should be at the heart of the discussions.
“Most importantly, let us ensure that the voices and experiences of migrant workers themselves are at the centre of our discussions,” Mhango said.
Migration is part of everyday life for many Malawians. People move within the country or cross borders in search of jobs and other opportunities. Malawi is also home to migrant workers from other countries and is a transit country for some people travelling elsewhere.
These journeys can come with challenges. Migrant workers may face exploitation, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, unfair recruitment practices and difficulties accessing justice and essential services. Some may also be at risk of trafficking.
Civil society organisations often work directly with affected communities. The workshop is therefore providing an opportunity for them to share what they are seeing on the ground and identify where laws and policies may not be translating into adequate protection in people’s everyday lives.
UNDP Governance Portfolio Manager Ms. Nanise Saune-Qaloewai says civil society helps turn human rights commitments into everyday realities.
Bringing migrant workers’ experiences to the table
Nanise Saune-Qaloewai, UNDP Governance Portfolio Manager, said civil society participation helps connect international human rights commitments with the everyday realities of people.
“This process is not merely about reporting to an international committee. It is about ensuring that the experiences, concerns and aspirations of migrant workers and their families are heard and reflected in policies, laws and practices that affect their daily lives,” Saune-Qaloewai said.
Civil society organisations bring important perspectives to the process because many work directly with migrants and communities affected by migration, including informal cross-border traders, women, children on the move and Malawians working abroad.
The process allows civil society and other stakeholders to highlight priority issues affecting migrant workers and their families.
Turning evidence into stronger protection
During the two days, participants are looking at Malawi’s responsibilities under the Convention and discussing some of the most pressing issues affecting migrant workers and their families.
These include access to justice, labour rights and decent work, irregular migration and immigration detention, and protection for migrants who may be particularly vulnerable.
Discussions are also exploring the experiences of Malawian migrant workers living abroad and measures needed to strengthen support and protection when they return home..
Particular attention is being given to women migrant workers, children on the move, informal and cross-border traders, migrants facing discrimination or difficulties accessing services, and other people who may be vulnerable and underrepresented in migration-related decision-making processes.
The workshop will also consider Malawi’s progress in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, a global framework for countries to cooperate in making migration safer and better managed.
The workshop is part of UNDP’s broader programme to strengthen human rights protection for vulnerable populations in Malawi, with support from the Governments of Norway and Iceland.
Through partnerships with government institutions and civil society, the programme supports Malawi to meet its international human rights commitments, strengthen human rights reporting and increase civil society’s ability to advocate for people whose rights may be at risk.
By bringing together evidence from communities and the lived experiences of migrant workers and their families, the process is intended to help strengthen the protection of migrant workers’ rights in Malawi and ensure that their voices are part of decisions that affect their lives.
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