Emmie Chanika

Mrs. Emmie Takomana Chanika is a Malawian human rights advocate who has championed political freedoms both in Malawi and internationally. A trained registered nurse, Chanika delved into mainstream human rights work from 1992 as human rights groups started to form and agitate for political change in Malawi. It was because of this experience that the President of Malawi, Elesoni Bakili Muluzi appointed Chanika in 1995 to sit on the Mwanza Murders Commission, where former State President Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, his right hand man John Zenus Ungapake Tembo, and confidante Ms. Cecelia Tamanda Kadzamira were accused of masterminding the assassination of three cabinet ministers and a member of parliament. Chanika is currently the executive director of Civil Liberties Committee (CILIC), based in Malawi, established in February 1992 as the first human rights NGO in Malawi.

In May 2003, she joined other women's rights activists in denouncing Malawi President Bakili Muluzi's habit of publicly making sexist comments against women. "It is sad to note the president insults women in the presence of his wife, the clergy and leaders of the Muslim society," said Chanika. [cite news
url=http://www.wfn.org/2003/05/msg00287.html
publisher=All Africa News Agency
title=Women Caution President Against 'Offensive' Remarks
first=Hobbs
last=Gama
date= 2003-05-26] Chanika has co-authored two books with medical historian and researcher, Dr. Adamson Sinjani Muula of the University of Malawi, College of Medicine. Their best seller is "Malawi Lost Decade 1994-2004" published by MontfortMedia, Balaka.

References

External links

* [http://128.11.143.113/english/archive/2006-05/2006-05-04-voa64.cfm?CFID=15334860&CFTOKEN=56851971 Audio interviews with Emmie Chanika] , from Voice of America
* [http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_2616.html Child sexual assaults irk women activists] , from NewsFromAfrica.org
* [http://www.hrdc.unam.na/ml_cilic.htm CILIC information] , from Research & Teaching, Human Rights, Gender Issues & Democracy in Southern Africa.