By Innocent Manda
Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, has officially launched the 2025 Disability Rights Awareness Month, calling on Malawians to embrace inclusion and end discrimination against persons with disabilities.
Navicha made the remarks during a press briefing held at the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology in Lilongwe, where she reaffirmed government’s commitment to promoting equality and advancing disability rights across all sectors of society.
According to Navicha, the campaign, running from November 3 to December 3, 2025, seeks to promote awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities and challenge long-standing social stereotypes and exclusion.
“Persons with disabilities continue to face barriers caused by stigma and discrimination. This month reminds us that inclusion is both a moral obligation and a pathway to sustainable development,” Navicha said.
Navicha also said her ministry will collaborate with various stakeholders to implement programmes that promote equitable access to education, employment, and accessible infrastructure for persons with disabilities nationwide.
“Leaving no one behind requires serious investment in inclusion and accessibility, so that every Malawian, regardless of ability, can contribute to social and economic progress,” the Minister said.
She has also appealed to community leaders, government institutions, and the private sector to ensure that disability issues are fully integrated into policies, development planning, and implementation processes.
In her remarks, Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA) Vice Chairperson Scader Louis commended government efforts but urged stronger action to remove barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from fully participating in national development.
“We would like to see more persons with disabilities leading by example — not because of sympathy, but because they have the skills and capacity to serve,” Louis said.
According to the Vice Chairperson, FEDOMA will continue partnering with government to raise awareness, promote inclusive education, and encourage accessibility improvements across both urban and rural communities in Malawi.
Principal Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Oliver Kumbambe, commended the Minister for her leadership, saying the ministry remains dedicated to implementing inclusive policies and ensuring that disability rights remain central to Malawi’s development agenda.
“The ministry will continue supporting all initiatives that strengthen equality, accessibility, and empowerment for persons with disabilities,” Kumbambe stated.
The Government of Malawi adopted Disability Awareness Month in 2015 to promote inclusion, equal rights, and awareness. The initiative supports Sustainable Development Goal 16, which calls for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
According to ministry statistics, about 11.6 percent of Malawi’s population live with disabilities. The campaign will include awareness activities across the country to advance equality and social progress.
