Malawi: Malawi Urged to Speed Up New Refugee Law That Would Let Refugees Work and Trade

What the report says

In Malawi, a refugee advocacy group is pressing the government to move a new refugee law to Parliament without delay. The appeal came from INUA Advocacy, an organization that says it works to protect the rights and dignity of refugees, and it was directed at the Ministry of Homeland Security and the Ministry of Justice, according to the report carried by Nyasa Times and distributed by AllAfrica.

The group says the draft legislation would ease long-standing restrictions on refugees. Its chief executive, Innocent Magambi, said the proposed changes include permission for refugees to work, run businesses and access education on more equal terms. The proposal would also allow refugees to take paid jobs and trade, which the group argues could reduce dependence on humanitarian aid and improve day-to-day livelihoods.

Under the reported framework, refugees could operate small and medium-sized businesses within designated areas, while larger businesses would still follow rules that apply to foreign nationals. Magambi said the bill would create a legal structure that better reflects human dignity and refugee rights. The article also notes that a commission has suggested renaming the law the Refugee Protection and Management Act, though it does not identify that body or the bill’s current title.

The issue matters because Malawi hosts refugees who face legal limits on work and enterprise, and changes to the law could affect both their self-reliance and the country’s refugee management system. This summary is based on the reported remarks and proposals; it does not confirm whether Parliament has yet received the bill.