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Centre for Human Rights, Education, Advice and Assistance (CHREAA)

Blantyre, Malawi
Joined November 2017

CHREAA works throughout Malawi and Its mission is to promote and protect human rights by assisting vulnerable groups. CHREAA’s core activities includes paralegal services, litigation and law reform.

Presence in: Malawi
Focus: Criminal Justice, Family, Gender-based violence, Health, Right to Information, Traditional / Customary Justice, Women's Rights

The Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance (CHREAA) is a non-governmental organisation which was established in the year 2000, registered in 2006 under the Trustee Incorporation Act. CHREAA envisions a Malawian society that upholds human rights, justice and the rule of law. Its mission is to promote and protect human rights by assisting the vulnerable and marginalized people in Malawi to access justice through civic education, advocacy, legal advice and assistance. At the core of CHREAA’s mandate is the provision of paralegal services, community awareness and empowerment, litigation and advocacy for law reforms.

CHREAA is headed by a Board of Trustees which consists of 6 members of which 60% are women and meets quarterly in each year.  CHREAA’s Board of Trustees provides guidance and oversight to the secretariat in terms of project management, organization’s focus and management of organization’s funds. The Board is followed with the Secretariat, which is headed by the Executive Director with four other executive members of secretariat and a pool of efficient paralegals. Membership of the secretariat is also 40% women. CHREAA has a total of 16 permanent employees. CHREAA has however a pool of community based educators  that it works with when implementing projects in the community. These are volunteers that have been trained in various topics on human rights and access to justice in general.

Currently CHREAA is implementing several projects; Bail project, Decriminalisation of vagrancy laws, Access to Justice for Communities, Provision of Paralegal aid Services at One Stop Centre, Elimination of torture in detention centers, Eliminating torture in connection to the use of the death penalty in Malawi’s criminal justice system. CHREAA has also an observer status at the African Commission, CHREAA is also a member of Pabwalo Initiative under Ministry of Unity and Civic Education to act as a link between government and civil society organisations.