The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is conducting a two-day training on the newly enacted Data Protection Act targeting public relations and communications practitioners from government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The training which started today on Wednesday at Cross Roads Hotel in Blantyre aims at equipping participants with necessary knowledge and skills that will help them design awareness programs on how their institutions can handle personal data responsibly and in compliance with the new legislation.
The new legislation provides for the protection of individuals’ privacy and other rights during personal data handling and processing.
On her remarks, Board Chairperson Mrs Bridget Chibwana said the training targeted PR and communications practitioners in MDAs since as representatives of government departments entrusted with the responsibility of communicating with the public, they bear a profound duty to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and respect for the privacy of the public they serve.
“For PR and communication practitioners across government departments, this training offers a unique opportunity to align our practices with the principles and requirements set forth in the Data Protection Act,” said Chibwana
One of the participants Masozi Kasambara, who is the Spokesperson for National Water Resources Authority Spokesperson, said the training will help public relations and communications practitioners from MDAs to understand the new law.
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is the national regulator of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services in Malawi.
