Education and child protection brief
Every child should have access to education and must be protected
Highlights
Malawi has over 10 million children aged 0–17 years1 and 60.5 per cent of them are experiencing multiple vulnerabilities.2 Children make up half of the country’s population, and adolescents (aged 10–19 years) make up nearly a quarter of the population.3 Poverty is higher in rural areas (70 per cent) than in urban areas (25.7 per cent).4 Social services, including social protection coverage, have been unable to alleviate the vulnerabilities of children living in poverty, including risks associated with school drop-out, the lack of learning achievement, abuse and other child protection risks.
Inequities in access to social services have further excluded the most marginalized children, including those with disabilities and albinism, as well as those living in areas prone to climate-related shocks. Malawi is amid an economic decline, making it challenging to fund national priorities and provide adequate services for children. It is estimated that public spending on sectors benefitting children will drop to 28 per cent of the total national budget in 2023–2024, the lowest level in five years.
