Where to Get Help
If you have a legal problem, need help with your status determination, or have been arrested, the following organizations can assist.
1. Inua Advocacy
Focus: Legal aid, refugee rights advocacy, and awareness. Inua Advocacy is a refugee-led organization dedicated to legal empowerment. They provide professional legal assistance and work to dispel myths about refugee rights.
- Services:
- Legal representation in court.
- Advice on refugee status appeals.
- Advocacy for policy change (e.g., against the encampment policy).
- Location: Dzaleka Refugee Camp (near the market).
- Contact: Visit Website
2. Malawi Legal Aid Bureau
Focus: General legal representation for those who cannot afford a lawyer. A government body that provides legal aid to vulnerable persons, including refugees.
- Services:
- Criminal defense (if you are arrested).
- Civil cases (disputes).
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (mediation).
- Access: They have offices in Lilongwe, but often conduct mobile clinics or work with partners in Dzaleka.
3. UNHCR Protection Unit
Focus: International protection, resettlement, and serious rights violations. UNHCR is the primary agency responsible for refugee protection.
- Services:
- Registration and documentation issues.
- Protection from refoulement (forced return).
- SGBV (Sexual and Gender-Based Violence) response.
- Helpline: Call the designated UNHCR helpline for emergencies.
4. There is Hope
Focus: Education, vocational training, and leadership. While primarily focused on development, “There is Hope” works closely with advocacy networks and was founded by Innocent Magambi, a key figure in refugee rights advocacy.
- Location: Dzaleka (Jubilee Centre).
- Contact: Visit Website
When to Seek Legal Aid
- Arrest: If you are arrested for being outside the camp without a pass (Immigration Offense).
- Status Rejection: If your asylum claim is rejected and you need to appeal.
- Abuse: If you are a victim of violence, theft, or exploitation.