The Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) and its 97-network membership received President Peter Mutharika’s State of Disaster declaration with great appreciation as it seeks to protect Nationals from the effects or any likelihood of the Virus getting Into Malawi. HRCC therefore writes to out rightly commend all entities and individuals who have adhered to the call and have been vigilante in ensuring that Malawi remains safe from the Virus. We out rightly wish to commend our Health personnel and Immigration officials besides the Police and Army for the coordination the players have this far displayed. We further salute all political parties for suspending their public rallies given the fresh elections ahead of us. Given the global outlook, and the fact that Botswana now has declared cases, we are convinced the fight continues.
As Human rights body, HRCC is concerned that the Virus has had a harsh effect on peoples attainment of Rights as they have had to be subjected to conducts that have been designated towards preventing their lives in particular from contracting the virus i.e. rigorous screening, mandatory hand washing including dictated working from home while cutting on Public gatherings.. In a bid to cushion Malawians from the effects of the COVID 19, HRCC while echoing calls by MCTU, would like to appeal to Government, the Business community, Employers and general public to consider undertaking the following additional measures so as to help in Mitigating the effects or threats the virus has on our society;
- Malawi Government should immediately release finances towards our social welfare Ministry with a view to ensure that it is running to the full capacity. Matters of stress, Good health and good living are required at this most crucial time so that we do not lose any Malawian due to our failure to address the social needs and challenges of our people. Thus, counseling and pre/post Corona Virus related trauma needs to be considered in our response mitigations.
- Malawi Government should immediately engage and convene an all electoral stakeholders and citizenry forum to assess the effects of CORONA VIRUS on the forth coming elections i.e. whether they need to further be shifted, or they can be held faster than the proposed dates or they be allowed to flow as planned as the stakeholders may consider.
- Malawi Government to consider reducing Value Added Tax on essential items and commodities so as to be easily accessible by all including making advance arrangements with major retailers to have their commodities closer to people in readiness for any further impact.
- Malawi Government should remove Vat on all COVID 19 related materials as a means of ensuring they are accessible and cheaper to Malawians and order a total price reduction of the same materials by outlet stores and pharmacies.
- Malawi Government should enforce workforce regulations that ensures that there are no more than 100 people in one shift as many companies continue exercising the normal duties with no regard for the social distancing aspect.
- Malawi Government should negotiate with providers of Entertainment Medium, Mobile networks and health services to reduce their costs so as to enable Malawians access basic and emerging prevention information this includes. i. Reduced data bundle fees for mobiles (Airtel, Access, MTL and TNM etc), ii. Reduced subscription fees for pay TVs (Zuku, DSTV, Kiliyekiliye, Zamzam etc), iii. Reduced tariffs for Water and Electricity bills iv. Reduced hospital fees on services in Private Hospitals and pharmacies.
- Malawi Government should engage with all employers to refrain from retrenching its staff and where situation becomes grave, ECAM, MCTU and Govt should consider negotiating that staff be allowed to go on paid leave and be guaranteed full employment upon the normalization of the situation.
- Churches and Mosques besides exercises social distancing, should be encouraged to split services and ensure that they are held within an Hour to ensure that people are not congregating in the same room for more than 2 hours where infections are high.
- Malawi Government should recall all health workers who may have been left out of employment for temporary basis to help in filling the gap that may arise should the outbreak escalate.
10.Malawi Government should set up teams of law enforcers to ensure that orders by the state are being respected i.e. the order against holding of weddings, party relies or gatherings of more than 100 people remain in force.
11.Malawi Government through ESCOM should ensure that it reduces Load shedding from the current 7 hours to less than 2 hours given that Factories have already reduced their production hours and that most people are in homes.
12.Government should initiate dialogue with all political parties and later stakeholders on how we can continue effectively managing the pandemic and ensure a smooth transition from a period of disaster to a normal life situation when the declaration is lifted and the country becomes safe to trade normally.
13.Malawi Government should consider cushioning critical players i.e. employers, entrepreneurs whose operations may have been affected by the pandemic i.e. those in health profession or tourism sector through tax waivers among others.
14.Government should account for all Malawians in foreign countries that are under lockdown or quarantine and ensure that their rights are guaranteed including supporting efforts for them to be repatriated back home where possible.
15.CSO’s and Government led by NICE should enhance civic and awareness raising on the dangers of the virus and how citizens can protect themselves and their loved ones including reporting any suspected cases or illegal Migration of persons from countries affected with CORONA VIRUS.
- Serious efforts should be made to ensure that our prisons are decongested and our hospital Wards provide the adequate social distancing space to reduce the effects of contaminations.
17.Where parents would want to celebrate in their homes i.e. partying, we appeal to them to do so responsibly and ensure that the best interests of the child and rights of women and girls are prioritized/respected. HRCC remains committed to propose further considerations and supporting all efforts that have the effects of protecting Malawians from this pandemic while guaranteeing their right to life and sound economic activities in the interest of growing the economy.
Signed. Signed.
Robert Mkwezalamba Desmond Mhango
BOARD CHAIRPERSON BOARD MEMBER