By Jones Gadama
Journalists have been urged to shift from treating persons with disabilities as objects of charity and instead frame them as rights-holders under Malawi’s Constitution and the Disability Act.
The call was made by former Blantyre Press Club President Blessings Kanache during a one-day training workshop organized by the Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi, FEDOMA, in Blantyre on Saturday, 13th June 2026. The training drew participants from Blantyre Press Club.
Kanache told reporters that accurate and rights-based reporting is key to tracking enforcement of the Disability Act. “People with disability isn’t about charity but rights. The media must help Malawians understand that PWDs are entitled to education, health, employment and justice just like any other citizen,” he said.
The training focused on the role of the media in monitoring government compliance with the Disability Act.
Topics included accessibility of public buildings, employment quotas, inclusive education, and ethical language when reporting on disability issues.
Blantyre Press Club Deputy Secretary General Yusufu Daisa praised FEDOMA for the initiative. In an interview with this publication, Daisa said reporters now have a clearer understanding of disability rights. “We used to regard disability issues as charity stories. Now we understand that people with disability should be accorded their rights enshrined in the Malawi Constitution and not necessarily regard them as a charity institution,” he said.
He added that the partnership between FEDOMA and the media will go a long way in promoting inclusion.
FEDOMA Executive Director Simon Munde commended journalists for their role in pushing government to develop the National Disability Policy. “The media helped amplify voices of persons with disabilities when the policy was being drafted. That same energy is needed now to track implementation,” Munde said.
Munde also tackled the use of correct terminology in disability reporting. He cautioned reporters against using outdated and offensive terms.
“People should refrain from referring to a certain group of people as ‘dwarfs’ or ‘dwarfism’. The correct terminology is ‘people of short stature’ or ‘people with little stature’. Language matters because it shapes how society views PWDs,” he said.
Participants were taken through practical story angles including auditing access to public offices, monitoring the 2% employment quota for PWDs, and investigating barriers in schools and hospitals.
The workshop comes amid growing calls for media to act as watchdogs in enforcing the Disability Act, which guarantees non-discrimination and equal opportunities for over 1 million Malawians living with disabilities.
FEDOMA said similar trainings will be rolled out to media houses across the country to build a network of disability-rights reporters.
