Jenipher Jere Mkandawire is the Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Children Rights (FCR), a Malawi-based civil society organization advancing gender equality and the realization of children’s and girls’ rights through legal and policy accountability, community systems strengthening, and evidence-informed advocacy. FCR’s work prioritizes the implementation of gender- and child-related laws, elimination of harmful practices including child marriage, comprehensive sexuality education, and the economic empowerment of women and youth as a pathway to sustainable development and child protection.
She serves as the National Coordinator of Girls Not Brides Malawi, contributing to national, regional, and global policy dialogue to end child marriage in line with international human rights frameworks. With over 18 years of experience, Jenipher has led multispectral initiatives in partnership with government institutions, UN agencies, and civil society to strengthen access to justice and advance women’s and girls’ leadership.
Jenipher held governance roles across national platforms, including Vice Chairperson of the Civil Society Education Coalition, Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee of the National Initiative for Civic Education, and Chair of the Women Network in Climate Action of Malawi. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Sociology and Gender Development and is a fellow of the Innocent Chukwuma Leadership Transition Program hosted by Wits University South Africa.
Jenipher is the GESI focal point for Malawi.
Jenipher Mkandawire contributed to the following articles