By Brenda Kayo:
The National Registration Bureau (NRB) says it will begin the second phase of a nationwide birth registration campaign on March 23, targeting all Malawian children under the age of 16.
In a statement signed by Principal Secretary Patrick Machika, the bureau says the exercise will run for 10 days, ending on April 1, 2026.
The campaign will take place in the districts of Nkhata Bay, Dowa, Chiradzulu, Zomba City and Zomba District.
Machika said the nationwide initiative aims to register 4.6 million children below the age of 16.
- Advertisement -
“During the registration period, parents or guardians will be required to register their children at designated centres, mainly schools, within their communities. Children do not need to be present at the time of registration,” the statement reads.
It adds that parents and guardians must present their national identity cards when registering their children.
The NRB further says birth certificates will be printed and distributed after the completion of each phase of the campaign.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Minister of Homeland Security Peter Mukhito said the initiative aims to ensure that all children are registered so they can access essential social services such as healthcare and education.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Mukhito said the K17.8 billion campaign will be implemented in seven phases, with the first two phases already funded by the Malawi government, alongside K5.4 billion in support from the international community.
“You need to know that comprehensive birth registration provides accurate data for development planning, budgeting, service delivery and policy formulation, as well as strengthening identity management systems and curbing fraud and age manipulation,” he said.
According to the minister, the campaign will also help Malawi meet the Sustainable Development Goals, which call on countries to ensure legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.
More than one million children were registered during the first phase of the campaign, representing 98 percent of the targeted population across five districts.
