President Arthur Peter Mutharika has called on Malawians to take an active role in protecting human rights, saying safeguarding individual freedoms should not be left to government institutions alone.
Mutharika made the call on Friday when he met members of the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), whose commissioners are concluding their terms of office this week.
The President said human rights violations affect the wider society and urged citizens to work together to promote and defend the rights of others.
“A violation of the human rights of one person is a violation of the human rights of all of us,” Mutharika said.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the rights of all Malawians, particularly children, women, the elderly and people living with disabilities.
Mutharika also commended the outgoing MHRC commissioners for their contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights during their tenure.
The President’s remarks come as the commissioners prepare to leave office after serving as part of the country’s key institution mandated to promote and protect human rights and freedoms.
The MHRC is responsible for investigating complaints of human rights violations and monitoring Malawi’s compliance with national and international human rights standards.
Mutharika urged Malawians to support efforts aimed at strengthening respect for human rights, stressing that protecting individual rights is a shared responsibility.
