Malawi Joins Continental Talks on Inclusive Elections for Persons with Disabilities

Malawi has contributed to continental discussions aimed at making elections more inclusive and accessible for persons with disabilities during the Africa Conference on Disability Inclusion in Electoral Processes held in Dakar, Senegal.

Through the Malawi Electoral Support Project (MESP), a Malawian delegation attended the conference with full funding support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Office.

MESP, a Basket Fund supported by the European Union, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Norway, the Embassy of Ireland, and the United States Government, continues to support efforts aimed at strengthening inclusive, credible, and accessible electoral processes in Malawi.

During the conference, Deputy Chief Elections Officer for the Malawi Electoral Commission, Mr Andrew Kamkwalala, presented Malawi’s strategy on disability inclusion in elections. He shared practical measures the country is implementing to improve accessibility and participation of persons with disabilities throughout the electoral cycle.

The Malawian delegation also included disability rights advocate and Champion of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Mr Gomezgani Wongani Nkhoma, who served as a panellist during the discussions.

Drawing from his lived experience, Nkhoma highlighted practical solutions for addressing barriers affecting persons with disabilities in electoral processes, including challenges linked to digital inclusion. He emphasized the need for digital transformation in elections to remain inclusive, measurable, and accessible to all.

Guided by the principle, “Nothing about us without us,” Malawi’s participation at the conference demonstrated the country’s commitment to promoting elections where every citizen can participate meaningfully, safely, and independently.