WHO WE ARE

Commissioner Chavula is a human rights and social development advocate with applied interests in political empowerment of women, election observation, resource mobilization, decentralization and local governance among others. A teacher by profession, he holds a master’s degree in development studies from University of Free State (South Africa). He also holds a postgraduate diploma in monitoring and evaluation from Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Commissioner Chavula currently serves as a Team Leader for the Centre for Civil Society Strengthening (www.ccssmalawi.org). He has held several management and advisory roles across various local and international organizations, including National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute, Catholic Relief Services, GIZ, AHT, UN Women, UNDP, UN Spotlight initiative, Ministries of local government and Gender, Parliamentary Women Caucus and Civil society in Malawi. He is a former board member of NICE (2019-2022) where he also chaired the resource mobilization subcommittee of the board. In Liberia, Commissioner Chavula both worked as a short-term election observer (2011) and long-term election observer (2005). In 2023, he has observed the Mauritanian and Sierra Leone elections. He is also member of the AU Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (CSWG-WPS). The grouping houses 15 CSOs across Africa promoting women, peace and security issues from the CSO lens. Commissioner Chavula is a member of Spotlight Malawi Civil Society National Reference Group where he serves as its Vice Chairperson (2021-Present).