NICE AND GENDER JUSTICE UNIT SIGN IN PARTNERSHIP GENDER JUSTICE ADVANCEMENT
The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust and the Gender Justice Unit (GJU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening gender equality, legal empowerment, and access to justice for women and girls across Malawi.The signing ceremony, held at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on marked the beginning of a strategic partnership between the two institutions through the implementation of the EmpowerLine Project — Africa’s first toll-free legal empowerment platform for survivors of gender-based violence.
Speaking during the ceremony, NICE Public Trust Director of Programmes, Hentry Mwale, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to promoting justice, equality, and inclusive democracy in Malawi.Mwale explained that the collaboration seeks to bridge the gap between civic education and access to justice, particularly for women and girls who continue to face systemic barriers in society.“True democracy cannot be achieved when women and girls remain excluded from decision-making processes or lack access to information about their rights,” said Mwale.
According to NICE Public Trust, the initiative will help address challenges that prevent survivors of violence from seeking help, including long distances to legal services, financial constraints, and fear of stigma.
Founder and Executive Director of the Gender Justice Unit, Sarai Chisala-Tempelhoff, described the initiative as a transformative step “from silence to justice” for survivors of gender-based violence in Malawi.
She revealed that the organisation receives calls through its toll-free line every two hours, demonstrating the growing demand for accessible legal and psychosocial support services among women and girls across the country.
Chisala-Tempelhoff further disclosed that the EmpowerLine mobile application will be translated into local vernacular languages to ensure that more women, especially those in rural communities, can easily access legal information and support services.
She commended NICE Public Trust for its nationwide presence, saying the institution is a key strategic partner because of its structures in all districts of Malawi, which will help awareness about EmpowerLine reach communities across the country.
“With NICE available in all districts, awareness and access to justice will travel to every corner of Malawi,” she said.Through the partnership, NICE Public Trust will use its extensive civic education structures across Malawi to increase awareness and accessibility of the EmpowerLine service in communities.
The partnership will focus on five key areas: community mobilization, integrated civic and legal education, capacity building, advocacy and policy engagement, as well as research and documentation.Mwale further emphasized that the MOU is not merely a ceremonial agreement but a practical framework intended to deliver measurable impact in the lives of women and girls.
The signing of the agreement demonstrates a united commitment by both organizations to strengthen democracy, protect human rights, and ensure that every Malawian woman and girl has access to justice regardless of their location or economic status.
The EmpowerLine Project allows women and girls to access free and anonymous legal information by dialing 4285 from any mobile phone without internet access. The service provides information on family law, property rights, workplace rights, and remedies for gender-based violence in Chichewa, Chitumbuka, Chiyao, and English.
