The Women Lawyers Association of Malawi (WLAM) says it has extended its legal awareness campaigns to 18 districts across the country, reaching women and children who often lack access to legal information and justice.

Speaking on Wednesday during a legal clinic at Zoa, in the area of Traditional Authority Mbawera in Thyolo, Blantyre Project Lawyer Hezel Miseleni said the initiative is part of the “Tackling Gender-Based Violence in Malawi Project.”

“So far, the response has been positive. Many women and children who previously did not understand their rights are now being empowered legally,” said Miseleni.

“Through these clinics, we collect cases, provide legal advice, and represent clients in court to ensure justice is served.”

She said the clinics have helped communities in remote areas understand issues such as child maintenance, sexual offenses, and deceased estates, which are often misunderstood or ignored due to lack of awareness.

Thyolo District Assistant Social Welfare Officer, Victor Daudi, commended the initiative, saying it has helped bridge the knowledge gap among rural communities.

“Most people could not take their cases to court simply because they didn’t know how the system works,” said Daudi. “While we have seen a drop in gender-based violence cases, challenges like wife desertion, child maintenance disputes, property grabbing, and wife battering are still common.”

Meanwhile, Second Grade Magistrate for Mangunda, James Balakasi, noted that the legal clinics have sparked a growing interest among community members to seek justice through formal legal channels.

“The clinics have created demand for people to seek court redress despite the long distances they have to travel, since there’s no court in this area,” Balakasi said.

WLAM says it will continue holding more legal clinics across the country to empower women and children with knowledge of their rights and improve access to justice.

During the clinic, several people including men asked questions on various areas such as, family and pregnancy responsibility, Will, divorce and property grabbing.