By Pempho Kantayeni

Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, in partnership with the European Union (EU), has officially launched the Chilungamo II ‘Access to Justice’ programme as a continuation of the first Chilungamo Programme.

The initiative aims to enhance the humane and effective delivery of justice for all by addressing systemic challenges related to the accessibility and efficiency of key justice institutions in the country.

Speaking at the launch on Wednesday in Lilongwe, EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, reaffirmed that the programme will support the development of relevant laws and policies, along with institutional reforms to improve justice service delivery and enforcement mechanisms.

"Efforts will focus on empowering people to demand justice, increasing their motivation to engage with justice institutions, and ensuring that these institutions respond effectively," he said.

Skinnebach emphasized that the program's overall objective is to improve the humane and effective delivery of justice for all, particularly for those in marginalized and vulnerable situations.

“It’s supporting not only the justice system, but also the access to justice, in a way, supporting both the demand and the supply side. It gives access for the least privileged Malawians. It gives trust in the system. It holds the system accountable, and it strengthens the delivery of judiciary to Malawians,” he said.

In his remarks, Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo highlighted the strategic importance of the program in supporting Malawi’s vision 2063, which envisions effective governance system rooted in the rule of law for an inclusive and self-reliant nation.

“The program will help address systemic challenges in access of justice and enhance the capacity of key justice institutions, the rule of law is crucial for building confidence in the government and driving social economic development in the country,” he said.

The Minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress made during the Chilungamo I project.

“we have so far progressed well with implementation of the programme through the support of all implementing partners namely; the Judiciary, the Malawi Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Legal Aid Bureau, Malawi Police Service, Malawi Prison Service and Ministry of Justice,” Mvalo said.

The Chilungamo II programme supported by the European Union, has a budget of 17 million euros of which 8.3 million are going to the seven justice institutions.