Refugee Self-Advocacy: Nothing About Us Without Us

Event overview

Refugees in Malawi have made important strides in speaking out and organizing for their rights. Yet, not all self-advocacy efforts have been well received, and some have unintentionally affected public perception.

This session will take a closer look at the landscape of refugee-led advocacy: what has worked, where tensions exist, and how refugee voices can be better heard and supported.

Event details

🗓 Date: Thursday 27 November 2025
🕒 Time: 3pm to 4pm CAT
📍 Location: Online (Zoom)
👩‍💻 Host: Brenda Buliyani
🎙️ Guests: RELON Malawi, Somali Community Leader & a Female Leader of a Refugee-Led CBO

About this session

Join us as we unpack what's working, where the gaps are, and how refugee-led voices can be better heard and supported.

This conversation brings together diverse perspectives from refugee community leaders who are at the forefront of self-advocacy efforts in Malawi. Through their experiences, we'll explore:

• Successful Advocacy Initiatives: What strategies and approaches have been effective
• Challenges & Tensions: Understanding where advocacy efforts have faced resistance
• Public Perception: How self-advocacy affects broader community attitudes
• Best Practices: Learning from both successes and setbacks
• Future Directions: How to strengthen refugee voices and representation

Featured panelist: Abdikariim Ismail

Meet one of our panelists, Abdikariim Ismail — a Somali refugee who arrived in Malawi in 2017 and currently serves as a leader within the Somali refugee community.

He is deeply involved in promoting unity, representation, and constructive dialogue between refugees and key stakeholders. Beyond his community leadership, Abdikariim also volunteers as an Open and Distance e-Learning (ODEL) lecturer — a role that reflects his dedication to education and his belief in the power of knowledge to transform lives.

Discussion topics

• The current state of refugee-led advocacy in Malawi
• Effective approaches to self-advocacy and representation
• Navigating tensions between advocacy and public perception
• Building stronger partnerships with stakeholders
• Empowering refugee voices in policy discussions
• Unity and representation within diverse refugee communities

Why this matters

The principle of "Nothing About Us Without Us" emphasizes that refugees must be active participants in decisions that affect their lives. This session creates a platform for:

• Sharing experiences and lessons learned from refugee leaders
• Understanding the complexities of self-advocacy in the Malawian context
• Identifying opportunities for more effective advocacy
• Building solidarity among refugee-led organizations
• Strengthening the role of refugee voices in policy and practice

Registration

This is a free online event, but registration is required. Join the discussion and be part of shaping a future where refugee self-advocacy is better understood and supported.

Register here: Zoom Meeting Registration

This event is organized by Inua Advocacy, dedicated to promoting refugee rights and dignity through advocacy, education, and community engagement.