Election Observation Mission to Malawi
Presidential and Parliamentary Elections 2009

The legal framework for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections includes a number of legal instruments addressing different aspects of the elections:

1. 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
2. 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
3. 1966 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
4. 1952 Convention on the Political Rights of Women (CPRW)

1. 1981 African Charter of Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) and its Protocol on the Rights of Women
2. 2002 AU Declaration on Principles governing Democratic Elections in Africa
3. 2004 SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections
4. 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development
5. 2002 NEPAD  Declaration on Democracy, Political , Economic and Corporate Governance

1. The Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, 1994 (as amended)

1. Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) Act, 1993
2. Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act, 1993 (as amended)
3. Malawi Electoral Commission Act, 1998
4. Communications Act, 1998
5. Malawi Citizenship Act, 1966
6. The Penal Code, 1930 (as amended)