Research Areas

my major research interests span criminal law, criminal justice, criminology, human rights and family law,Law,

Profile

Gift Dorothy Makanje is a lawyer of twelve years’ experience and admitted to the Malawian Bar. She holds an LLB (Honours) degree from the University of Malawi, an LLM (with Distinction) in criminal justice and human rights from the University of Aberdeen and is currently a doctoral research candidate at Durham University law school . Gift is a two-time holder of the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship. She is a Lecturer in the University of Malawi’s Faculty of Law where she teaches criminal law, family law and labour law and served as Head of the Foundation Law Department for three years. Prior to joining the academia, Gift served in the Malawi Judiciary for six years as senior resident magistrate, assistant registar and later principal resident magistrate. Her major research interests span criminal law, criminal justice, criminology, human rights and family law. She has published and presented papers in these areas at various local and international conferences. Gift has also undertaken research, consultancy and charitable outreach activities through UNIMA Faculty of Law's legal clinics, Malawi Law Society, Women Lawyers Association of Malawi and other community-based organisations that she supports for the benefit of vulnerable groups as well as policy and law makers.

Publications

• Journal Article
  Makanje, GD ‘The admissibility of expert evidence in criminal proceedings in Malawi: a call for reliability safeguards’ (accepted for publication in the forthcoming- Journal of African Law 2022) (2022)
  

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• Book Chapters
  Makanje, GD ‘Strengthening the role of traditional leaders for effective local community participation in environmental management in Malawi’ in Sindico F, Switzer S & Tianbao Q (eds) The Transformation of Environmental Law and Governance: risk, innovation and resilience (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021) 92 (2021)
  

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• Journal Article
  Makanje, GD ‘The protection of vulnerable witnesses during criminal trials in Malawi: addressing resource challenges’ (2020) 20 African Human Rights Law Journal 41-77 (2020)
  

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• Journal Article
  Makanje, GD ‘Crimes involving dishonesty or moral turpitude in Malawi’s elections’ 2019 Journal of African Elections 18(1) p108 (2019)
  

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• Conference Papers
  Makanje, GD ‘The environment management act (2017) and natural resource regulation in malawi: opportunities for and limitations to effective enforcement’ in P Kameri-Mbote et al (eds) Law/Environment/Africa (Baden: NOMOS, 2018). (2018)
  

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• Journal Article
  Ngcimezile Mbano-Mweso, Bernadette Malunga,Theresa Chome, Gift Makanje Faculty of Law, University of Malawi (Lecturers): LAND RIGHTS FOR UNMARRIED, DIVORCED AND CHILDLESS WOMEN IN PATRILINEAL TRIBES IN MALAWI: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES (0)
  

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