IM has been working in Malawi since 2007 and the work is carried out in collaboration with partners such as community-based organizations, NGOs, youth organizations and networks, media and grassroots’ movements. The focus for IM’s work in the country is on interventions to bring about ensured empowerment of rights holders, making them able to claim their rights.

These are some of the objectives of IMs work in Malawi:

• Children’s right to education – to promote inclusive education and improved access and retention for girls and other vulnerable children. Strengthening education for children living with disabilities.

• Economic and social empowerment of women and youth – to improve the socio-economic status of women and young people through for example skills development, producer development, savings culture and support for participation in decision making.

• Improved availability and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health and rights services for young people.

• Capacity strengthening of civil society groups to demand social accountability of public services.

• Ensure civic space – the civic space in Malawi is under threat, largely due to government’s move to introduce laws that restrict civic freedoms and make operations or financing for society groups difficult. IM works to counteract that by developing civil society organizations to become strong advocacy agents to engage government at all levels for accountability, democratic development, policy formulation and implementation.