UN urges Malawi to join Global Coalition forSocial Justice

BLANTYRE, Malawi, May 2 — Rebecca Adda-Dontoh, the United Nations (UN) country representative to Malawi, has urged the southeastern African country to join the Global Coalition for Social Justice that the UN established to guide policy decisions across the globe.
The UN official made the appeal on Wednesday during the nternational Labor Day celebrations in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre, where President Lazarus Chakwera was the special guest.
Adda-Dontoh said the coalition, which the UN formed through the International Labor Organization in 2023, has already attracted more than 200 partners, including governments, employers, workers and organizations.
“We believe that a bright future begins with social justice. We encourage Malawi to join the coalition as it provides a dynamic force for change, and advocates for social justice as a cornerstone for policy decisions,” she said.
The UN offcial said Malawi, with its majority youthful population, has “huge potential to drive economic growth,” but the country’s unemployment, at 21 percent at the national level, and 23 percent among the youth, remains a concern.
Adda-Dontoh commended Malawi for being among the first member states to commit to becoming a pathfinder country for the implementation of the Global Accelerator Initiative on justice and social protection.
She said the UN has mobilized initial funding to support the implementation of the initiative in other countries and that her organization is in conversation with Malawi authorities to bring the funds to Malawi.
“As United Nations in Malawi, we stand firmly, as always, with the government and the people of Malawi to ensure a coordinated approach in providing sustainable social protection, decent work, and social justice for all,” said the UN representative.
In his keynote address, Chakwera pledged to continue creating jobs for Malawians, including the youth, to close the unemployment gap in the country.
The Malawian leader said his government has already created more jobs through construction projects, mega-farming, and hundreds of businesses that the Malawi government is funding through National Economic Empowerment Fund.