HRDC challenges NGO regulator in court
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition seeks to halt its deregistration by NGORA at a High Court hearing on November 12.
Malawi’s NGO Regulatory Authority (NGORA) and the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) will face off in the High Court in Lilongwe on November 12, 2026. HRDC is seeking a judicial review and an injunction to reverse NGORA's decision to deregister the coalition.
NGORA, the body that regulates NGOs in Malawi, stated it deregistered HRDC due to repeated breaches of regulatory requirements. HRDC has called the decision "unreasonable" and is challenging it in court. NGORA spokesperson Laston Chinkudzu confirmed the regulator is prepared to defend its action.
The court will hold an inter-parte hearing, allowing both NGORA and HRDC to present their arguments. HRDC had initially requested an ex-parte hearing, which would have excluded the regulator from the proceedings.
Why it mattersThe Human Rights Defenders Coalition, a civil society group, is directly affected by the NGO Regulatory Authority's decision to deregister it.