About Us

CEDEP envisions a society that values human diversity and upholds social justice and wellness for all.

Mission Statement

CEDEP exist to promote and advance good governance and human rights, as well as the social, health, and economic well-being of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders, Intersex persons and other vulnerable populations.

Core Values (NDIRI)

1. Non-Discrimination: Treat all individuals and groups as equals, ensuring no discrimination based on race, gender, religion, health status, political opinion, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, or other grounds.
2. Integrity: Act with the highest moral and ethical standards, ensuring honesty and adherence to strong principles.
3. Respect for Human Rights: Achieve social justice by treating everyone with respect, affirming their dignity, and protecting their basic human rights.
4. Inclusion: Provide equal opportunities and deliberately promote the interests of sexual minorities, key populations, people with disabilities, and marginalized groups to realize equal rights for all.

Strategic Objectives

1. Improved Participation and Influence in Democratic Governance:
   • Enhance the participation and influence of sexual minorities and vulnerable populations in democratic
   • Address challenges stemming from Malawi’s transition to democracy, including restrictive legal and policy frameworks, lack of individual agency, collective action, and poor access to
   • Focus on advocating for inclusive policies, strengthening citizen capacities, and facilitating access to

Improved Participation and Influence in Democratic Governance Current Situation

• Sexual minorities and vulnerable populations in Malawi primarily participate in democratic governance through voting, but do not effectively hold leaders
• Despite a growing number of active civil society organizations since 1994, collective action for improved governance remains limited due to restrictive legal frameworks, lack of individual agency, and poor access to

CEDEP’s Focus

To address these challenges, CEDEP will:

1. Advocate for Inclusive Legal and Policy Frameworks
   • Conduct continuous legal and policy analysis and
   • Develop, update, and implement an advocacy
   • Develop and disseminate UN-related periodic review
2. Strengthen Capacities of LGBTIQ+ persons in human rights
   • Promote human rights and legal
3. Facilitate Access to Justice
   • Provide pro-bono legal
   • Train justice dispensers on key local and international legal
   • Promote human rights

Improving Access to Inclusive Social Services for LGBTIQ+ persons in Malawi. Current Situation

• MSM, Gay men and TGs in Malawi have a higher HIV prevalence compared to the general population due to unmet health and social service
• These needs are unmet due to factors like criminalization of same-sex acts, stigma, discrimination, and confidentiality concerns in healthcare

CEDEP’s Focus

To address these challenges, CEDEP will:

1. Advocate and Influence Inclusive Social Services
   • Conduct policy and legal
   • Develop and implement an advocacy strategy for legal and policy
   • Mobilize public support for legal and policy

• Engage in strategic and public interest
• Facilitate whistleblowing and reporting of gross human rights

2. Strengthen Capacities to Demand Services
   • Facilitate social accountability
   • Model inclusive social service
   • Empower LGBTIQ+ and other vulnerable populations on their
3. Facilitate Access to Inclusive Social Services
   • Train service providers in inclusive social service
   • Increase availability of comprehensive and sustainable HIV prevention and treatment
   • Enhance demand, utilization, and adherence to HIV services among key populations, particularly MSM (men who have sex with men), MSW (male sex workers), and TG (transgender individuals), and their social and sexual

Promote a Life Free from Violence and Human Rights Violations Current Situation

• In Malawi, LGBTIQ+ persons face marginalization, criminalization, and serious human rights violations due to discriminatory and punitive legal and policy

CEDEP’s Focus

To address these challenges, CEDEP will:

1. Advocate Against Human Rights Violations
   • Engage with justice dispensers and constitutional bodies on rights
   • Conduct media
   • Establish a legal fund to support impacted populations in need of legal
2. Strengthen Protection Mechanisms and Measures
   • Conduct periodic safety and security
   • Establish emergency mechanisms for immediate protection, such as temporary relocation and
   • Mobilize resources for an emergency
3. Transform Attitudes and Social Norms
   • Engage and capacitate influential figures (religious and cultural leaders) on policy and legal literacy to develop localized mechanisms that promote

• Conduct multimedia campaigns to change mindsets regarding LGBTIQ+
• Facilitate social dialogues to build community resilience and support normative
• Model community-led referral systems for supporting LGBTIQ+ Improved Livelihoods for Sexual Minorities and Other Vulnerable Populations

Current Situation

• LGBTIQ+ persons face economic exclusion and limited access to social
• Economic initiatives and community development activities rarely target these
• Discrimination and exclusion lead to poor livelihoods and negative coping CEDEP’s Focus

To address these challenges, CEDEP will:

1. Promote Economic Empowerment Initiatives
   • Implement financial literacy
   • Facilitate participation in agricultural value
   • Enable access to loans and business
2. Build Skills
   • Provide technical and vocational skills Increased Organizational Capacity

Current Situation

• Achieving external strategic objectives relies on CEDEP’s ability to institutionalize and

build optimal capacity to execute its mandate.

• Greater transparency, accountability, and consistent objectives are needed for improved

CEDEP’s Focus

To enhance organizational capacity, CEDEP will:

1. Maintain and Implement Effective Governance and Management Structures
   • Institutionalize governance initiatives like board meetings and annual general
   • Develop and implement management policies and procedures (e.g., conditions of service, finance, and administration policies).
   • Develop and implement a robust resource mobilization

• Strengthen the ICT

2. Build and Sustain an Engaged Workforce
   • Enhance talent management through training, development, mentoring, and capacity
   • Strengthen communication and collaboration among
   • Create and implement an effective people management
   • Promote team-building activities, social events, and
3. Maintain and Implement Effective Program and Program Support Management Structures
   • Develop and implement Program Management Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
   • Develop and implement Program Support Management
   • Facilitate engagement meetings between programs and program
   • Conduct internal learning
   • Develop and implement a robust communication
   • Develop and implement effective feedback and accountability