Last week in Lilongwe!

My last week in Malawi’s capital just started off with several meetings set up with MUD Africa’s partners.

I had first the opportunity to meet UN-Habitat Programme Manager Mr. John Chome in Lilongwe’s UN offices. We talked a great deal about the next World Habitat Day in October. As it did over the five past years, LUPPEN will take part in the event to showcase its activities to the public and other organisations.

It’s also important to note that LUPPEN has been deeply involved in Malawi Urban Forums which bring together politicians, government’s departments, NGOs, academia and other both public and private organisations to discuss urban-related issues, policies and share experience and knowledge about urban planning. As a well-implemented local network and thanks to its wide field experience with the urban poor, LUPPEN has always been a valuable member of the forum.

Then, I met Mrs. Loma Tema from Women’s Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC), a local organisation aiming at defending social, legal, political and economic justice for women. As WOLREC and MUD Africa share the same goal to empower women, both organisations established a partnership a couple of years ago within the framework of the trainings arranged by MUD Africa.

With regard to the ELRFA project, we mainly discussed the upcoming long-awaited Land Registration Law intending to strengthen women’s land rights. If the law is enacted by the Parliament in January 2015, land registration will have to be done in the name of both husband and wife unlike at present. It would be a major step forward for women in Malawi although it’ll be a tough challenge to apply the law in informal settlements where authority mainly boils down to the presence of a local chief.

Apart from that, the rest of the week is devoted to compiling the final Equal Land Rights For All 2013 project report almost completed!

The whole LUPPEN family sends you their regards from Lilongwe! / Pierre.