Citizens for Justice Malawi

Citizens for Justice (CFJ) was established to fill the gap that existed at the time, a lack of organizations advocating for the rights of communities affected by environmental issues emanating from mining activities in Malawi. In the mid 2000s, Malawi shifted its economic focus to include large scale mining in order to boost its Gross Domestic Product. CFJ's initial interventions were geared at raising awareness of the impacts of the mining industry towards environmental and economic justice. This was later broadened to incorporate threats to environmental justice in general and a range of related issues affecting local communities countrywide including poverty, corporate abuse, climate change, food sovereignty, HIV/AIDS, and gender inequality, among others. Realizing that these challenges cannot be effectively addressed if government systems are weak, CFJ integrated good governance interventions into its programs. We believe that Malawi, as a country endowed with abundant natural resources, if well managed can transform and meaningfully change the lives of its people if local communities benefit from them. CFJ aims to speak with and for the poor and the voiceless so that they are part of the processes affecting the protection and promotion of their rights in Malawi. We are currently working on: - Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - Publish What You Pay - Responsive Mining Governance Project including coordinating the Natural Resources Justice Network - Open Government Partnership - Access to Justice through camp courts - Strengthening Accountability Institutions through partnership with the Anti-Corruption Bureau - Budget and Expenditure Transparency with the Office of the President and the Cabinet Good Governance Unit We partner with a range of institutions and are supported by a number of development partners.