ILO Malawi

03/12/2025

MESSAGE FROM THE ILO COUNTRY OFFICE FOR ZAMBIA AND MALAWI ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Today, as we commemorate the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the ILO Country Office for Zambia and Malawi reaffirms its commitment to building inclusive and accessible societies where no one is left behind.

This year’s theme, “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress,” reflects our ongoing work with governments, employers, workers, and partners to promote disability inclusion across labour markets in both countries.

In Zambia, we have strengthened national capacities through training Disability Focal Points, supporting National Accessibility Guidelines, and empowering workers with disabilities in the informal economy to access social protection and decent work.

In Malawi, we have supported the Government in developing Disability Inclusion Guidelines and advancing inclusive productivity in the agriculture sector, ensuring persons with disabilities can participate fully and competitively in economic activities.

Within the ILO, we continue to put policy into action by improving accessibility in our workspaces, enhancing signage, promoting barrier-free environments, and ensuring all new staff undergo disability inclusion training.

On this important day, we extend warm wishes to all ILO staff and families, and reaffirm our commitment to championing disability rights and inclusive labour markets across Malawi and Zambia. Together, we can create societies where everyone thrives.

03/12/2025

ILO Convention 190 provides a global framework that recognizes violence and harassment including online abuse as a threat to workers’ safety, dignity, and well-being. By obligating governments and employers to prevent, address, and remedy digital violence, it strengthens protections for women and girls in the evolving world of work.

As we commemorate the 16 Days of Activism, C190 reinforces the call to make both physical and digital spaces safe, inclusive, and free from gender-based violence.

02/12/2025

The ACCEL Africa project has been making a real difference in Ntchisi District, one of Malawi’s key coffee-growing areas where many smallholder farmers struggle with low incomes, increasing children’s vulnerability to child labour.

As part of its education improvement pillar, the project partnered with Chinthembwe Education Zone, which covers 12 primary schools. ACCEL Africa supported 11 of these schools with infrastructure improvement grants, provided textbooks from Standard 1 to Standard 8, and assisted vulnerable learners with school uniforms and writing materials. The project also established child rights clubs to raise awareness and strengthen reporting on child labour.

According to Mr. Chikafa, the Primary School Education Advisor for Chinthembwe Zone, these interventions have helped reduce school dropout rates from 0.25% to 0.15% and lowered class repetition. Awareness among learners has increased significantly, leading to more child labour cases being reported to schools and community committees.

ACCEL Africa continues to stand with communities because keeping children in school is one of the most effective ways to eliminate child labour

01/12/2025

As we continue to commemorate the of Activism globally, we reaffirm our commitment to ending all forms of gender-based violence.

Just like our physical workplaces, digital spaces must be safe, respectful, and free from abuse.

Let’s to end digital violence against women and girls.

21/11/2025

The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions project continues to recognize the vital role of community and traditional leadership in ensuring ownership and long-term sustainability of its interventions. Today’s session is another demonstration of the strong partnership between the project, Government, the youth, and local leadership in building inclusive and resilient livelihoods in Nkhatabay.

Group Village Head Mahamba today closed the training session for the WAMAKA Youth Cooperative in Msongwe, Nkhatabay District. In her remarks, She applauded the project as the first in her area to intentionally equip young people with practical entrepreneurship skills to grow their fish farming enterprises. The training has empowered 38 youths, and she called for the programme to be scaled up to reach more young people to curb unemployment and improve rural livelihoods in her community.

20/11/2025

20/11/2025

The ILO, through the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, is strengthening youth skills and employment opportunities in Malawi. In Nkhatabay, the WAMAKA Youth Development Cooperative is advancing its fish farming initiative with support from the ILO and the District Youth Office, gaining practical skills in aquaculture, business management, and entrepreneurship to build sustainable livelihoods.

This work is timely as the 2024 National Statistics Office Labour Force Survey reports a 21.6% youth unemployment rate among those aged 15–35. By equipping young people with marketable skills and productive opportunities, the Global Accelerator is helping reduce unemployment while promoting youth-led economic development.

Skilled youth!!!! Employment Creation!!!! Better futures!!!!

20/11/2025

“As a community leader, I am truly grateful to the ILO through the ACCEL Africa Project for empowering vulnerable coffee farmers at the lower tier of our supply chain with livelihood support. This assistance has enabled households to diversify their incomes to farm and no-farm activities and build resilience. From the initial 8 supported families, we have now scaled up to all 17 households in our zone through the strength of Village Savings and Loan groups and sustainable livelihood activities. With stronger livelihoods comes stronger protection for our children this progress is helping us to strengthening child labour elimination and ensure every child stays in school where they belong.”

Joel Nkhoma---Kachere Zone Chairperson

19/11/2025

The ILO, through the Global Accelerator project, is delivering entrepreneurship training to the WAMAKA Youth Development Cooperative in Msongwe, Nkhatabay District. The training, led by the District Youth Office, applies the ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) methodology alongside Business Development Services tools developed by the District Youth Office.

This collaboration aims to ensure sustainability by strengthening the capacity of the government stakeholders such as District Youth Office, to continue delivering mentorship to youth cooperatives throughout the Global Accelerator implementation period.

The Global Accelerator project is being implemented with support from the UN Joint SDG Fund.

Developing skills. Creating jobs!

19/11/2025

“My name is Esther Nkhata, a 58-year-old coffee farmer who has grown coffee for 32 years, a skill I proudly inherited from my parents. Before the ILO ACCEL Africa Project, many of us could not clearly distinguish training our children in farm skills from engaging them in child labour. Today, as a behaviour change champion, I confidently stand for the elimination of child labour while ensuring that our children are in school, gaining the education they deserve for a brighter future."

Labour Organization

18/11/2025

“As the Msese Coffee Zonal Chairperson under the South East Mzimba Coffee Growers Cooperative, I sincerely thank the International Labour Organization for the ACCEL Africa project. Your support has strengthened our fight against child labour in the coffee sector by empowering vulnerable households at the lowest tier of the supply chain. Through increased knowledge on the dangers of child labour, skills development for our youth, and economic empowerment for families, our communities are now better equipped to protect children and build a more sustainable and dignified future for all.”

--Blessings Kanyinji--

08/11/2025

With support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi , ILO has been implementing the ADDRESS project. One of the ADDRESS supported cooperative in Mzimba District, Makhosikazi cooperative in a bid to promote diversification has stricked a deal with Chibuku Products to grow and sell Sorghum to them

The ADDRESS project encourages to***co farmers to diversify to other crops. On the same kanjuchi cooperative is in discussion with Seed company to start producing Maize seed, the discussion is at an advanced stage as the assessment was already completed.

Ministry of Labour, Skills and Innovation Malawi, TAMA Farmers Trust,ILO Country Office for Zambia and Malawi