In 1994, Malawi adopted an unusually progressive Constitution for a country trapped in poverty and reeling from decades of oppression. Human Rights under the Malawian Constitution takes stock of the human rights jurisprudence generated by the new Constitution and the new judiciary in Malawi. It examines the largely unreported cases and systematically analyses them with a view to constructing a coherent body of human rights jurisprudence, which is essential to the consolidation of democracy, establishing the foundation for the rule of law and ushering in an era of accelerated development in this country.
The analysis reveals a rich body of jurisprudence that belies the socio-political and economic hardships the country has encountered and the infrastructural and human resources challenges that have afflicted its judiciary since 1994. Ultimately the book reveals that it is possible for human rights to grow even in underdeveloped territories.