● our work
Strategic Partnerships
GJU builds partnerships that move justice from institutions into communities. We work with feminist movements, civil society organisations, government institutions, justice-sector actors, funders, technology partners, and community structures to strengthen legal empowerment, survivor-centred GBV response, mobile justice delivery, digital legal information, and accountability. Our partnerships are practical: they help train frontline workers, support mobile courts and legal clinics, strengthen referral pathways, expand open access to legal information through MalawiLII, and build collective advocacy for systemic change.
We focus on legal empowerment as one of the most powerful tools for advancing gender equality and social justice
● Our work is making a difference across Malawi
women and girls reached with legal support and counselling
downloads of the free EmpowerLine App
service providers trained on GBV laws and survivor-centered response
community focal points equipped to support local cases
Our Activities & Key Collaborations
● Chisankho Watch Consortium – Democracy and Citizen Engagement
Our partnership within the Chisankho Watch Consortium strengthens citizen participation, accountability, and transparency in Malawi’s governance systems.
Through this collaboration, the Gender and Justice Unit works with community observers to monitor elections and promote democratic values.
In recognition of this collective effort, the Consortium — including the Gender and Justice Unit — received the Madeleine K. Albright Democracy Award (2024) from the National Democratic Institute (NDI), honoring its exceptional commitment to democracy and human rights.
● BFL Uganda – Programming and Learning Exchanges
In partnership with BFL Uganda, we engage in meaningful programming and learning exchanges.
Together, we harness our collective insights and resources to address critical issues at the intersection of law and social justice. These exchanges are platforms for sharing knowledge, strategies, and best practices — amplifying our impact and driving transformative change.
● ISLA Litigation Unit
Our collaboration with ISLA supports a dedicated Litigation Unit focused on advancing gender justice and equality.
By leveraging legal expertise, we challenge discriminatory practices and laws that perpetuate inequality.
Through strategic litigation, we aim to shape legal systems that protect the rights of all, regardless of gender
● TrustPSS – Safe House and Psychological First Aid (PFA) Support
In partnership with TrustPSS, we provide critical support to trauma survivors through a safe house and Psychological First Aid (PFA) for our staff and Trainers of Trainers (ToTs).
This collaboration creates spaces for healing, empowerment, and resilience among those affected by gender-based violence.
● WOJAM – Addressing Sexual Harassment and Sextortion
Together with WOJAM, we confront sexual harassment and sextortion through advocacy, awareness-raising, and specialised training.
By equipping legal professionals and communities with knowledge, we work to dismantle structures that enable abuse within legal and public systems.
● Parliamentary Women’s Caucus & Women Councillors Caucus
Through collaboration with the Independent Complaints Commission (ICC), we facilitate Pabwalo Town Hall events that foster public awareness around human rights complaint mechanisms.
We also support women leaders in the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus and Women Councillors Caucus to drive greater community accountability and participation.
● Katswe Sisterhood, Young Feminist Network, and Feministing While African
These partnerships fuel feminist activism by building capacity, providing resources, and fostering spaces for intersectional advocacy.
Through online training and support, we nurture a new generation of gender justice leaders working across the continent.
● DGRU & AfricanLII/Laws.Africa – MalawiLII
In partnership with DGRU and AfricanLII/Laws.Africa, GJU manages MalawiLII, Malawi’s open-access legal information platform. MalawiLII makes laws, judgments, and legal materials easier to find and use, supporting lawyers, researchers, students, journalists, civil society, communities, and justice-sector actors. It is part of GJU’s wider legal technology work: making legal knowledge public, searchable, and more useful for people working to advance rights and accountability.
● Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI)
Since 2021, GJU’s partnership with Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) has expanded service delivery to communities in Lilongwe, Nkhotakota, and Dedza. This collaboration has provided critical insights into persistent challenges and emerging needs in GBV response, particularly in the context of mobile justice delivery mechanisms.
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