As a pilot country to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affair’s programme to enhance the focus on gender in its development cooperation, Malawi is receiving increased assistance to the sector. Eliminating gender disparity and empowering women are thus a priority for the Embassy.
The Embassy is committed to combating gender-based violence, as well as overcoming the cultural perceptions that often lie at the root of such violence. It supports projects to strengthen the capacity of the gender sector, increase the representation of women in decision-making positions, improve the conditions for women in Malawian prisons, and prevent human trafficking, while at the same time integrating women’s empowerment into its work in all other sectors. Furthermore, as a part of this work on equality, the embassy supports a number of organizations in their fight for LGBT rights.
In 2009, through Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Norway focused on a pilot project to combat human trafficking. The project has provided victims with emergency assistance, led to the development of a network and has been an important contributor to the preparation of a proposal for new legislation.