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The WJP is an independent, multidisciplinary organization working to advance the rule of law worldwide.
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We engage advocates from across the globe and from multiple work disciplines to advance the rule of law.
Malawi is a multiparty democracy with a population of approximately 15 million. In April, 2012 Joyce Banda took over through a smooth transition as President in what local and international observers characterized as a sign that Malawi respects the Rule of Law. Her Government inherited serious challenges ranging from economic hardships, bad governance and donor fatigue. The constitutional power is shared between the president; the 193 National Assembly and the Judiciary in Malawi but the perception is that the President enjoys over-riding powers, which has been established as a practice by the previous regimes.
In 2011, several human rights violations by the Government were reported. These included use of excessive force by the members of the Malawi Police Service, which resulted in deaths and injuries; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; politically motivated arbitrary arrest and detention; lengthy pre-trial detentions; limits on freedom of speech and the press; official corruption; societal violence against women; human trafficking; and child labor. Government made some efforts to prosecute abusers and perpetrators of occasional mob violence but some politically motivated perpetrators went scot-free.
The country continues to face economic hardships, which is breeding and exacerbating sophisticated and institutionalized corruption, nepotism and discrimination in accessing basic social and economic resources and services. The deterioration of socio-economic rights especially in terms of access and the continued concentration of wealth in the hands of a few political elites is leading to general discontent among the Malawian populace. The root cause of these challenges may in part be attributable to the imbalance and disharmony between the three arms of Government, which in turn negatively affect the Rule of Law.
"There may be setbacks as you proceed on that journey; there might even be adverse forces that may try to take you off the right path. But the commitment of any society to achieve justice, accountability and fairness as the hallmark of all interactions will sustain them along that journey. As a nation we have come some way along that path; we acknowledge that we have not yet arrived." - H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi
Much as Malawi is facing challenges, the country has opportunities to improve its standings on Rule of Law. It's therefore imperative that interventions to foster the rule of law in Malawi are undertaken and its in that context that Citizens for Justice (CFJ) requested the technical expertise of the World Justice Project (WJP) to co-host a Rule of Law workshop in Malawi from 13th to the 15th of March, 2013. The workshop provided a space for Malawians to discuss the way forward in how to improve its standing on Rule of Law in light of the country index report which had Malawi fair well in other areas but failed in others. The participants were given an opportunity to understand where Malawi is in as far as the WJP's Rule of Law Index is concerned and charting the way forward about Malawi as a nation and how the country intends to get there. The Malawian President, H.E Dr. Joyce Banda, who referred to 'Rule of Law as a journey' in her speech, graced the workshop. Malawi is therefore on Rule of Law journey and steps will have to be taken to help the country improve in its standings so that Malawians can have access to justice. The workshop had some outcomes and recommendations, which will form part of the journey.
It's in that light that CFJ is part of that journey, and it will continue to work with the WJP as the "Rule of Law Index" provides useful data to assess the progress made and the challenges encountered in our quest to entrench the 'rule of law' within Malawi. The Rule of Law index brings together a comprehensive analysis of various aspects of the 'rule of law' in various jurisdictions across the globe and it offers a ready reference point to help one appreciate how well we are doing in relation to other societies.
In the next few months, Citizens for Justice and Malawians who participated in the workshop will be engaging each other in planning and implementing actions that fosters the rule of law in Malawi and translating to justice for all citizens. In President Dr. Joyce Banda's words "one cannot walk alone on a Rule of Law journey."
To learn more about WJP and CFJ's work in Malawi, click here.
