By Vida Msiyo

Blantyre, June 28, Mana: Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), with funding from the European Union, held a stakeholder interface meeting in Blantyre on Friday as part of its two-year project called Promoting and Protecting of Rights of Refugees and Other Migrants in Malawi that seek to provide safety and dignity of refugees and asylum seekers staying in the country.

Participants from various sectors emphasized the need to safeguard the rights of refugees, observing that refugees are not tourists, criminals, or economic migrants but individuals fleeing from danger in their countries.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency, Commissioner in the MHRC, Andrew Kavala underscored the importance of the project and interface meeting which brought together stakeholders such as Malawi Police Service, Department of Immigration and Citizenship and chiefs to share ideas on how best to respect rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

“This project aims to unite leaders from different fields to generate ideas for protecting refugees’ rights. They should not be afraid, they are in a country that will take care of them and protect their rights,

“This project; Promotion and Protection of Rights of Refugees and Other Migrants in Malawi continues to seek collaborative efforts to ensure the safety and dignity of refugees in the country.” He said.

A community leader at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa, Niyibigira Goreth, called for equal rights for refugees, saying it is important to do so.

She shared her personal experience of missing out on a scholarship abroad due to lack of necessary documents.

“We need equal rights, regardless of we come from be it Rwanda, the DRC or Burundi. I fled my country due to personal issues and cannot return. We demand our rights to be protected and to be allowed to contribute to the society,” Goreth said.

Representatives from government, Non-governmental organisations, civil rights bodies, religious groups, traditional leaders, Malawi Police Service and Malawi Prison Service, among others attended the interface meeting at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre