Submission to CESCR - International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 76 Session (09 Sep. 2024 - 27 Sep. 2024) - Malawi: an assessment of the impact of gaps in global governance on children’s rights in Malawi in the context of the climate emergency

This submission focuses on the gaps in global governance which negatively impacts policies and resources in Malawi and therefore economic and social rights, especially the rights of the child. The main gaps in global governance which affect policies are those promoting austerity, while the main gaps which affect resources include tax abuse, massive debt services, and inadequate climate finance. If the gaps which impact resources were closed, government revenue would almost double, and this would significantly improve the government’s ability to meet its obligations for children’s rights. As a result, ten percent of children who currently do not drink clean water would have access, two-thirds of children of primary school age who are out of school would attend school, and one-third of children of lower-secondary school age who are out of school would attend school. There would be an additional 10,688 teachers, and 15% of children aged less than five years who currently do not survive would have the right to life. Closing the global economic governance gaps would curtail the need for austerity policies that negatively affect children’s rights.
We support the adoption of the Framework Convention on tax at the United Nations and call for an overhaul of debt architecture with a UN-led debt workout mechanism. We urge that all climate finance to Malawi be in the form of grants, with prioritisation of adaptation. This will reduce the costs of recurrent disasters due to extreme weather events, which diverts scarce resources from children.