Laws in Malawi
How Malawi is classified on 23 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Illegal (with exceptions) Abortion is prohibited except to save the pregnant person's life.
- Suicide Laws
- Criminal offense
- FGM Laws
- No specific ban There is no specific legal ban on FGM.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Minimal restrictions There are no smoke-free ordinances in place, and none are planned.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Activity
- Illegal Same-sex sexual activity is a criminal offence.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Selling sex is legal and prevalent, although living off the proceeds of prostitution is illegal.
- Pornography
- Illegal Producing, possessing, or distributing obscene materials is a criminal offence punishable by fine and imprisonment.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Not used in practice Retained in law, but not used for at least ten years.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only; recreational use remains prohibited.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- Under 18 Malawi has no legal minimum age for buying or smoking tobacco products.
- E-Cigarettes
- Legal / lightly regulated E-cigarettes are legal, subject to an age limit.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.