The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Review, which was published in May 2015, outlined the drivers and extent of the illegal wildlife trade in Malawi and made a series of recommendations to strengthen the criminal justice system. These recommendations included the establishment of the Wildlife Justice Programme, a joint initiative between NGOs and the Malawi government. This programme aims to strengthen wildlife crime court outcomes through courtroom monitoring, public/private prosecutions and training of magistrates and prosecutors.
Other courtroom initiatives have involved the development of legal toolkits, including:
- Rapid reference guides for prosecutors
- Sentencing guidelines for wildlife crime
- Guidance for mutual legal assistance