By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, May 17, Mana: Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has underscored the importance of addressing issues of lack of information sharing which has potential to misinformation and lack of action in some important issues which is affecting the rights of refugees in the country.

Speaking in Salima district during a capacity building workshop for commissioners and staff on refugee’s related laws, policies and international best practices, Commissioner Andrew Kavala highlighted that lack of coordination among stakeholders is a big challenge.

"We want refugees to live their lives like any other citizen in the country with their rights protected and promoted and those undermining their stay in the camp are taken into task, no one should feel more important and violate the rights of refugees,” he said.

“As a commission we look at a number of areas which require immediate interventions by government and various key players on issues about safety of the refugees, status and overcrowding. We will make sure that these issues are addressed by various stakeholders,” he added.

Kavala said the interface meeting will help the commission to develop a way forward, on what should be done and what strategies should be put in place to address various issues faced by the refugees in the camps.

In her words, Programmes Manager at European Union Delegation, Atiji Nuka highlighted the importance of coordination among stakeholders and the need to review refugee act of 1989 which is outdated.

“We have an outdated legislation, there is coordination among main stakeholders, lack of knowledge sharing and the need to discuss and review all issues happening with refugees and come up with solutions,” he said.

Nuka added that complaints handling mechanisms in the refugee camps is not working due to lots of trust issues between refugees and organisations working in the camps.

“This dialogue can come up with a set of either an independent organisation, commission or a forum that the refugees can feel comfortable with but also trust that their issues can be handled properly,” she said.

Law Commissioner Rosemary Kanyuka, who is one of the commissioners reviewing the Refugee Act of 1989 said it is important to review the Act to accommodate the current situations being faced by the refugees.

“We are reviewing the act because it is long overdue, we want to incorporate current issues such as overcrowding and relocation of the camp. This meeting will provide us information about these issues and will tell us what will be made so that when reviewing we should include them in the new act,” she said.

MHRC is implementing a two year “promotion and protection of rights of refugees and other migrants in Malawi” project with funds from the European Union to enhance alignment of national legal frameworks and policies and to improve equality, inclusion, respect and engagement of refugees in the country.