The Malawi Government has intensified implementation of the National Birth Registration Campaign as it works to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9, which calls for legal identity for all citizens, including birth registration, by 2030.
Minister of Homeland Security Peter Mukhitho said this in Dedza District after touring several birth registration centres to assess progress of the campaign, which is currently being rolled out in selected districts under phase one.
Mukhitho acknowledged that the exercise has encountered operational and mobilisation challenges at some centres, but said government remains confident the campaign will achieve its objectives through intensified coordination, community engagement and targeted interventions.
“In spite of the few challenges that we have seen in the centres we visited, the exercise is, to a greater extent, progressing very well. We are optimistic that we will reach the targeted child population here in Dedza and in other districts,” said Mukhitho.
Among the key challenges identified in Dedza is low turnout in some communities, which the minister attributed to limited awareness among parents and guardians about the importance of birth registration and the ongoing campaign.
To address the challenges, Mukhitho said government is prepared to take corrective measures, including strengthening mobilisation efforts, improving coordination at district level and, where necessary, adjusting timelines.
He directed district authorities and the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to intensify door-to-door sensitisation and ensure that information reaches all households before the end of each phase.
“Where we see that time has not been sufficient or that operational challenges have affected turnout, we will consider appropriate measures, including extending time and strengthening teams on the ground, so that no child is left unregistered.
“With a day to go, I urge the District Commissioner and NRB teams not to relent, but to continue mobilising parents and guardians here in Dedza and in all phase-one districts,” Mukhitho said.
The minister also commended development partners, including UNDP, UNICEF, the European Union, Ireland and Norway, for their continued support, noting that additional resources are being mobilised to support subsequent phases of the campaign.
Mukhitho said achieving universal birth registration will improve access to education, health care and social protection services, while also enhancing national security and safeguarding public resources.
He assured Malawians that government will continue prioritising the birth registration programme as a critical investment in the country’s social and economic development.
About 4.6 million children under the age of 16 remain unregistered in Malawi, a situation regarded as a major barrier to child protection, service delivery and national planning.
The nationwide campaign will be conducted in seven phases across all 25 districts to ensure comprehensive coverage.
In the 2025/2026 financial year, government allocated K5.4 billion to fund the first two phases, with the funds already released to facilitate implementation.