1. By : Edward Chikhwana Civil Society led Task Force Chairperson 29 th June 2011 Cresta Crossroads Hotel Lilongwe, Malawi

2.  Strategies used in the policy development process  Key activities undertaken in the Development process  Some of the key findings in the district consultations  Challenges  Key recommendations

3. Civil Society led process  All the activities in the initial stages of the formulation process were led by Drug Fight Malawi until at a later stage when Ministry of Health as a host ministry was handed over the finalization activities of the policy Multi-stakeholder involvement and participation  The policy formulation process involved key strategic partners and stakeholders both public and civil society organizations especially the networks such as MANASO, MHEN,HRCC, NGO-GCN, etc

4. Involvement of the grassroots communities  The process consulted the grassroots through traditional leaders, religious leaders, the local brewers, the imbibers of locally brewed beer Participation of key policy makers and implementers  The process involved MP’s, and District Councils in the districts where consultations were done

5. Activity 1. Putting in Place the Taskforce Committee  The task force to lead the activities in the formulation of the policy was put in place at a conference that was held to discuss alcohol and related harms in 2007  The taskforce comprised of public and civil society institutions including Government ministries

6. Development of the strategic plan for the development of the policy  The taskforce developed the master plan that was used as a guide in the development process of the policy Taskforce meetings  Consultations were done within the taskforce members to identify key policy issues

7. Consultations with Inter-ministerial Committee on Drug Control  The taskforce made consultations with inter-ministerial committee on drug control to get their views on the issues to be considered in the policy Hiring of consultant to take lead of the technical part of the process  The taskforce hired a consultant to lead in the technical part of the policy formulation process

8. Baseline survey on Unrecorded alcohol  The taskforce commissioned a baseline survey on unrecorded alcohol.  This survey was done by another consultant who was specifically hired to do the baseline survey.  The survey was done in a number of district in all the three regions of Malawi

9. District consultations meetings  District consultations were done in eight districts of Malawi  The district consultations meetings were attended by MP’s, Government departments, religious leaders, political leaders, traditional leaders, teachers, youth  The consultant led all the proceedings during the district consultations meetings

10.  Time limitation of operation; people are proposing that all drinking places in Malawi, rural or town should be opened at 2.00 pm and closing at 10.00 pm- like in Tanzania and other countries  Licensing of local brewers for monitoring purposes  strictly enforce age limiting on one to access beer  Total ban of liquor sachets and all other cheap beer

11.  Put strict measures to ensure all drinking places are far from schools, hospitals and residential places  Reduction of alcohol content (through discussions with brewers  Encourage local punishment i.e. to those not abiding by the law  Reviewing of existing legislation on alcohol  Increase of prices of beer  Comprehensive sensitization of the public on harmful alcohol consumption and its consequences

12.  Legalize local spirits but with authorised alcohol content – by MBS