Malawi has been urged to strengthen protection of LGBTQI+ people’s rights by addressing discrimination in healthcare, employment and civic participation.
The call was made during a panel discussion organised by Nyasa Rainbow Alliance, with support from HIVOS, on Friday evening, under the theme Enhancing LGBTQI Civic Space in Malawi: Challenges, Collective Action and Accountability.
Investigative journalist Gregory Gondwe said the media has a responsibility to report fairly on LGBTQI+ people, warning that negative portrayals can reinforce stigma and discrimination.
“If the media has taken a position where whenever you’re going to report anything about the LGBTQ community, you report something that is negative, you report something that is like whatever you perceive as scandals and stuff like that, the general perception that the community is going to have is going to be in the negative shade,” Gondwe said.
He said journalists should prioritise human dignity and fairness rather than defining people solely by their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Nyasa Rainbow Alliance executive director, Eric Sambisa, said LGBTQI+ people in Malawi face several challenges, including difficulties registering organisations that explicitly represent their communities, limited access to healthcare, unemployment and inadequate protection.
He said restrictions on civic participation also affect the ability of LGBTQI+ organisations to advocate freely for their communities.
“Because you don’t have identity, it will be very difficult for you to advocate freely issues that are concerning the community,” Sambisa said, referring to the difficulties organisations face when registering under identities that reflect the communities they represent.
Sambisa also called for systematic documentation of violence, harassment and abuse to strengthen advocacy and hold responsible institutions accountable.
He said documentation initiatives supported by HIVOS were helping advocates focus on survivors’ experiences and gather evidence that could inform engagement with government and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, public health expert Changamile Enock said stigma and discrimination within healthcare facilities continue to create barriers for LGBTQI+ people seeking medical services.
He said some patients fear disclosing information about themselves because they are uncertain how healthcare workers will respond.
Enock also highlighted gaps in healthcare guidance and service provision for transgender and intersex people, calling for improved training and stronger enforcement of professional standards.
“The first thing I have to say is, we don’t need so much changes. What we need is enforcement of what we have,” Enock said, arguing that existing protections should be implemented effectively.
He also urged people who experience discrimination in healthcare facilities to report the incidents through appropriate channels, including hospital ombudsmen, professional regulatory bodies and human rights organisations.
For her part, Sexual and Reproductive Health Justice Network chief executive officer Molly Nkosi called for greater collaboration among civil society organisations, saying LGBTQI+ rights should be treated as part of the broader human rights agenda.
“LGBTQI plus rights are human rights and human rights are universal. They apply to everyone irrespective of your gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, tribe, or where you come from,” Nkosi said.
She urged civil society organisations to include LGBTQI+ people when developing advocacy strategies and pushing for reforms to improve access to justice, healthcare and protection from discrimination.
Nkosi also argued that legal protections for marginalised communities should not be viewed as a threat to religious freedom.
“Having a law that protects a certain marginalized community does not remove any part of their religious beliefs or infringe on their right to practice their religious beliefs,” she said.
The discussion also highlighted discrimination affecting intersex people, with participants raising concerns about breaches of confidentiality in healthcare facilities, barriers to education and difficulties accessing appropriate medical services.
Participants called for stronger cooperation among civil society organisations, healthcare providers, the media and public institutions to improve inclusion, protect human rights and ensure that reported violations receive appropriate attention.
