Dzaleka Refugees, Communities Improves on Human Rights Awareness-Plan Malawi

Dzaleka Refugee Camp 

Plan Malawi says the project being implemented at Dzaleka Refugee Camp focusing on three thematic areas of human rights, child protection and sexual gender based violence has managed increase rights awareness among the refugees and communities around the camp.

Plan Malawi began the project in 2014 in partnership with UNHCR to enable people recognise, report and fight forms of abuse.

Tiwonge Kamfose Plan Malawi

Tiwonge Kamfose, Project Coordinator for Plan Malawi at Dzaleka Refugee Camp says since last year the project was rolled out, has seen the rise of women and children reporting cases of abuse at the same reduction in cases of sexual gender based violence and child abuse around the camp compared to previous years.

“We are happy now that both people in the camp including children and women and the people from the surrounding communities are able to know their rights and feel free to report any abuse and violence whenever they fall victim. And more importantly, they are able to know relevant institutions to report them.” said Tiwonge Kamfose

“Unlike before where people used to hide sexual gender violence in their respective families and child abuse particularly among the refugees, now after we taught them of their rights as foreigners and respect of Malawi laws, we are now registering positive changes as many people are able to report any form of abuse" said Kamfose who further assured that such rights campaigns have enhanced coexistence between refugees  and members of Dzaleka communities  who are also benefiting from the programme.

She however noted that the project is facing challenges mainly when trying to convince the diverse community to accept issues of child protection and rights due to differing views and cultural background.

“You understand that people living at this camp are from different countries and from different cultures as well. So for them to understand the concept that Plan Malawi is working on where we embrace the issue of Child protection and rights, some thinks we are going agaist their cultural norms. That is our main challenge but through our campaigns such mindset and thinking is fading away and they are taking in and understand what we are talking about.”explained Kamfose

Owen 

Dzaleka Camp Administrator Mr. Owen Nyasulu has commended Plan Malawi project saying it has assisted in raising awareness of refugees rights as well as instill peace with members of communities around Dzaleka camp

“The first thing when it comes to human rights, the person you are targeting with assistance, you need to empower him and give him information and get his views whenever you are planning and managing things. Secondly the host community needs to be empowered with information and knowledge of issues about refugees.”

Nyasulu then said "So plan Malawi project has managed to look into such areas and this is why we are happy that since the initiative was implemented last year, we have  observed change in knowledge of their rights as well as good relationships with surrounding communities."