LocationsUNDP and Malawi Law Society Push Climate Justice to the Forefront as Human Impact Deepens
March 28, 2026
Participants at the 2026 Malawi Law Society (MLS) Annual Conference in Mangochi.
The 2026 Malawi Law Society (MLS) Annual Conference opened with a firm and urgent message from UNDP Malawi Resident Representative, Fenella Frost, who reminded delegates that Malawi is facing a rapidly escalating climate emergency.
In her keynote address, Frost quoted the UN Secretary‑General to illustrate the gravity of the crisis, stating:
“We are playing Russian roulette with our planet… We need an exit ramp off the highway to climate hell, and the truth is we have control of the wheel.”
Frost explained that climate change is no longer a distant or scientific concern but a lived human rights reality for Malawians. She underscored that disasters such as cyclones and floods have ravaged communities and disproportionately harmed vulnerable groups, noting:
“At its heart, climate justice acknowledges that those people and countries who have contributed least to climate change… are usually the ones most affected. This is a truth that all Malawians are all too well aware of.”
She stressed that as Malawi experiences repeated shocks, the country’s legal institutions and professionals must become central actors in protecting affected communities.
UNDP Malawi Resident Representative, Ms Fenella Frost, delivers her keynote address.
"At its heart, climate justice acknowledges that those people and countries who have contributed least to climate change… are usually the ones most affected."Ms. Fenella Frost, UNDP Malawi Resident Representative.
Calls for a Legal Shift
In his opening remarks, MLS President Davis Njobvu urged legal practitioners to rethink their role in addressing the climate crisis.
Reflecting on the setting of the conference along Lake Malawi, he challenged the audience with a vivid scenario:
“Imagine if we came to Mangochi with our high expectations and plans as usual, only to find that there was no lake… just dry, crusty, hard ground.”
He acknowledged that environmental and climate‑related issues have long been under‑prioritised within the legal fraternity:
“It is a tragedy that climate justice issues usually take a backseat and do not get as much attention from us as legal practitioners.”
Njobvu drew from his experience at the Pan‑African Lawyers Union summit, saying:
“Lawyers often do not apply environmental law principles in practice, despite being taught about them in law school.”
He committed to strengthening MLS engagement through its Environment, Land and Natural Resources Subcommittee, affirming:
“I plan to engage with the subcommittee chair to follow up on matters arising from this conference to push for more action and initiatives on environmental law and climate justice.”
Malawi Law Society President, Mr. Davis Njobvu.
“It is a tragedy that climate justice issues usually take a backseat."Mr. Davis Njobvu, Malawi Law Society President.
Gendered Consequences of Climate Disasters
UNDP Malawi’s Gender and Development Advisor, Juliet Sibale, delivered one of the conference’s presentations, titled Gender Equality and Climate Justice in Malawi: A Human Rights, Legal and Jurisprudential Analysis. She drew attention to the severe gendered consequences of climate disasters.
Presenting data from Cyclone Freddy, Sibale stated:
“Over 659,000 people were displaced, over 500 people were killed, and vulnerable women experienced heightened risk of sexual exploitation, transactional sex, and gender‑based violence as humanitarian camps became unsafe spaces.”
She further highlighted the compounding effects of environmental decline on women’s economic livelihoods:
“Environmental stressors, including declining fish stocks driven by erratic climate patterns, intensify gendered exploitation and economic coercion among women in lakeshore communities.”
Sibale argued that Malawi’s legal response must be grounded in human rights obligations:
“Malawi’s climate justice response must be grounded in constitutional rights, international human rights obligations, and gender‑responsive legal reforms.”
Her presentation firmly positioned gender equality at the centre of climate justice, urging the legal community to expand its understanding of climate impacts beyond environmental degradation to include lived gender realities.
UNDP Gender Specialist, Ms. Juiet Sibale, makes her presentation.
A Unified Call for Legal Engagement
Across the speeches and presentations, one theme emerged consistently: climate change is reshaping Malawi in ways that demand a stronger legal response. The conference underscored that environmental decline is not only an ecological challenge but also a human rights issue, a governance issue and a gender‑justice issue.
With shifting weather patterns, recurring disasters and widening inequalities, speakers urged that lawyers take an active role in litigation, policy enforcement, public education and the strengthening of environmental rule of law.
The call was clear: Malawi’s legal fraternity must step forward, not as observers but as central actors in the country’s climate response.