Background

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs said in February that during the 2024/25 rainy season, severe weather affected approximately 160,000 people, leaving around 644 families displaced, and approximately 35 people dead. The department continued to develop initiatives to address climate-induced shocks, including improved early warning systems.

Right to food

According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, southern districts faced crisis-level food insecurity due to poor harvests and below-average purchasing power. A survey by the National Statistics Office and the Department of Nutrition, revealed that malnutrition rates had risen sharply from 4.4 to 7.1%, despite the government’s provision since September 2024, of Super Cereal Plus, a fortified food supplement, to vulnerable groups.

Right to health

International aid cuts led to critical drug shortages for tuberculosis treatment, only months after the WHO reported a 40% decrease in cases and a reduction in the number of deaths. By September stocks were dangerously low.

In September the Public Health Institute of Malawi reported 118 Mpox cases and one related death following an outbreak in April, affecting 12 districts. The institute successfully managed the outbreak using a multi-sector approach.

Freedom of peaceful assembly

In June, in the capital, Lilongwe, protesters at a peaceful demonstration against the electoral commission’s handling of upcoming elections were attacked by unidentified armed men suspected of belonging to the then-ruling Malawi Congress Party. Several people were injured and security forces failed to intervene when one activist was reportedly beaten.

Discrimination

Finalization of the government’s 2022 national action plan to protect and promote the rights of persons with albinism was delayed by funding constraints.

In April, a UPR submission from local and international NGOs highlighted the use of discrimination and torture against LGBTI people, identifying patterns of violence, intimidation, extortion and harassment by law enforcement officers.

Torture and other ill-treatment

Two police officers were convicted in April by the Mulanje Magistrate Court of grievous bodily harm and neglect of official duty in connection with the torture of a 13-year-old boy in police custody in 2024, which reportedly resulted in the amputation of his arms. They were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Sexual and gender-based violence

In June, a Clooney Foundation for Justice report revealed that 27 of 63 women detained for serious violent offences were, at the time of their alleged crimes, defending themselves from gender-based violence.

On 28 October the High Court of Malawi upheld the rights of girls who had survived sexual violence, affirming their right to seek an abortion. The Ministry of Health was ordered to provide clear direction for healthcare providers to offer on-demand access to legal pregnancy termination services for girls.

Refugees’ and migrants’ rights

Dzaleka refugee camp, which has capacity for 12,000 people, was believed to host over 50,000 refugees. In September, The Guardian newspaper reported an increase in gender-based violence against women refugees in the camp, many of whom were forced by hardship into sex work.