Undule Mwakasungula is a 'retired' human rights activist in Malawi. As an activist, he served as the chairperson for the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC). He is also the former director for the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (HCRR), a network of Church Institutions, Human Rights NGOs and the Law Society of Malawi that serves to work together in areas of human rights, advocacy and information sharing. [1] [2] HRCC and Mwakasungula was one of the primary organizers of the July 20th, 2011 Malawian protests. [3] He has been a critical opponent of the Bingu wa Mutharika administration, likening it to Robert Mugabe's Administration of Zimbabwe, "We are almost Zimbabwe, both in the economy and in political governance." [4]
Mwakasungula has mentioned that he was arrested and detained in Lilongwe on the day of the protests and later released. [4] He went into hiding briefly after the July 20, 2011 protests in Malawi. [5] He has been acting as a spokesperson for the protest leaders and announced the postponement of the August 17th protests. [6]
He has come under criticism by anti-gay civil society groups in Malawi due to his defense of gay and lesbians in Malawi and being outspoken against the criminalization of homosexuality. [7]
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British human rights campaigner, best known for his work with LGBT social movements.
Emmie Takomana Chanika was a Malawian human rights activist.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Zimbabwe face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Since 1995, the Government of Zimbabwe has carried out campaigns against LGBT rights. Sodomy is classified as unlawful sexual conduct and defined in the Criminal Code as either anal sexual intercourse or any "indecent act" between consenting adults. Since 1995, the government has carried out campaigns against both homosexual men and women.
There were widespread reports of systematic and escalating violations of human rights in Zimbabwe under the regime of Robert Mugabe and his party, ZANU-PF, between 1980 and 2017.
Daniel Fortune Molokele is a Zimbabwean pro-democracy human rights lawyer well known for his fight for democracy. He currently resides in Hwange, Zimbabwe
William Gary Whatcott, known as Bill Whatcott, is a Canadian social conservative activist who campaigns against homosexuality and abortion. The dramatic nature of his activities have attracted attention from the media, including an appearance on The Daily Show. He has also run for political office in Toronto, Saskatchewan and Edmonton.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Malawi face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female expressions of same-sex sexual activity are illegal within the nation. The Penal Code prohibits "carnal knowledge against the order of nature", attempts to commit "carnal knowledge against the order of nature", and acts of "gross indecency".
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Africa are generally poor in comparison to the Americas, Western Europe and Oceania.
People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP) is a community-based, grass roots non-profit organisation fighting for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants in Cape Town, South Africa.
Billy Abner Mayaya is a Malawian human rights activist, artist, poet and theologian.
The history of human rights in Malawi during recent decades is complicated, and the situation at present is in a state of dramatic, and positive, transition.
Arthur Peter Mutharika is a Malawian politician and lawyer who was President of Malawi from May 2014 to June 2020. Mutharika has worked in the field of international justice, specialising in international economic law, international law and comparative constitutional law. He informally served as an adviser to his older brother, President Bingu wa Mutharika, on issues of foreign and domestic policy from the onset of his election campaign until the President's death on 5 April 2012.
Jenni Williams is a Zimbabwean human rights activist and a founder of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). A prominent critic of President Robert Mugabe's government, she was described by The Guardian in 2009 as "one of the most troublesome thorns in Mugabe's side".
The 2011 Malawi protests were protests aimed at winning political and economic reforms or concessions from the government of Malawi. On 20 July, Malawian organisations protested against perceived poor economic management and poor governance by President Bingu wa Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party. After the first two days of protests, 18 deaths, 98 serious injuries and 275 arrests had been reported. Further demonstrations were organised on 17 August and 21 September The first protest was later cancelled due to the intervention of a UN representative in initiating a dialogue; however, the talks broke down with more protests planned for Red Wednesday through a national vigil.
Rafiq Hajat was a prominent Malawian civil rights activist. He was born in Blantyre. He was the director for the Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) in Malawi.
Reverend MacDonald Sembereka is a Malawian reverend, civil and human rights activist. He is the acting national coordinator of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), a network of 91 local civil society and non-governmental organizations. He has been at the forefront of coordinating the nationwide protests in Malawi that began July 20, 2011. In May 2021, it was revealed that he had been appointed to serve at Malawi's Mission at the United Nations in New York. His appointment was widely seen as a reward for his role in the nationwide demonstrations which contributed to the sanctioning of fresh presidential elections by Malawi's high court. Other members of the HRDC were also appointed to various Missions abroad, a move widely seen as an attempt to silence the human rights group. Sembereka is widely known for his controversial lifestyle which is widely viewed as unusual for a reverend. He also served as the Executive Director of Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with HIV/AIDS (MANERELA).
The Human Rights Consultative Committee is a civil rights organization in Malawi. They are committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for the Malawi. Their activities include advocacy, monitoring, information sharing, capacity building and resource mobilization for member institutions, government and key stakeholders. The organization has been involved in human rights issues in Malawi since July 1995. The committee consists of a network were Church Institutions, Human Rights NGOs and the Law Society of Malawi work together in areas of human rights, advocacy and information sharing. HRCC is thus works as a network of local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that have interest in protecting people’s rights, promoting the human rights agenda, and safeguarding governance and the rule of law.
Magodonga Mahlangu is a women's rights campaigner from Zimbabwe who in 2009 was awarded the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Award by U.S. President Barack Obama.
Justice Dr. Jane Mayemu Ansah, S.C. is the former chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission. She is also a former Malawian Supreme Court Judge and was the first female Attorney General in Malawi. She is most known for her role as the head of the Malawi's Electoral Commission during the 2019 general elections. Her role in this position sparked national protests both in support and in opposition to her role due to election irregularities resulting in protestors calling for her resignation. In July 2020, she left Malawi for UK.
Johnson Yeung Ching-yin is a Hong Kong pro-democracy social activist, who was former convener of the Civil Human Rights Front and Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Federation of Students.