LocationsEU Optimistic About Progress of Phase III Birth Registration Exercise
July 14, 2026
Colleta Ngwira outlines her expectations for the birth registration exercise to the visiting delegation.
The European Union (EU) has expressed optimism over the progress being made in the ongoing Phase 3 of the National Birth Registration Campaign, describing the campaign as a significant step towards ensuring every child has a legal identity and access to essential services.
The exercise builds on the success of the first two phases, during which more than 2.5 million children were registered, significantly strengthening Malawi’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system. To date, over 3.5 million children have been registered nationwide, including through hospital-based birth registration initiatives, out of an estimated 7.5 million eligible children. This progress marks a significant step towards achieving universal birth registration and ensuring that every child has a legal identity and access to essential services.
UNDP and NRB staff interact with a representative of the European Union delegation during the field visit.
Speaking after touring registration centres at Muzu Primary School, Chinsapo 1 Primary School, and Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Vivien Rigler, Team Leader for Governance, Education and Skills at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Malawi, commended the progress achieved so far and expressed confidence in the impact of the exercise.
"We have noted great progress in the registration process during the third phase. This exercise will help ensure that children who have long been without a legal identity are recognized, counted, and able to access essential services," said Rigler.
European Union delegation officials witness the birth registration process firsthand.
During the visit, the EU delegation interacted with beneficiaries and registration officials to gain a deeper understanding of the exercise and hear first hand experiences from communities participating in the initiative.
Among the beneficiaries was Colleta Ngwira, a mother of two from Muzu Village. Ngwira said obtaining birth certificates would help secure the future of her children and improve access to services.
"Birth registration is very important because my children are now officially in government records. They will be able to access different services using this documentation in future," she said.
An NRB official briefs the delegation on the real-time birth registration system at Bwaila Hospital.
The nationwide birth registration campaign is being implemented by the Government of Malawi through the National Registration Bureau (NRB) with support from the UNDP’s Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi (IDT4M) project, UNICEF and other partners. The project is jointly funded by the Government of Malawi, the European Union, the Government of Norway, and the Irish Aid.
The exercise aims to ensure that every child is legally recognized, counted in national development planning, and able to access critical services such as education, healthcare, and social protection programmes.