LocationsSecuring Children’s Future Through Digital Birth Registration in Malawi
July 8, 2026
A nationwide Universal Birth Registration campaign is underway to register children up to 16 years old who missed registration at birth.
For decades, obtaining a birth certificate had been a difficult and often lengthy process for many families in Malawi. As a result, thousands of children remained unregistered, making it challenging for the Government to accurately determine the number of births and effectively plan for essential public services such as healthcare, education and social protection.
Without a legal identity, children face significant barriers throughout their lives. They can struggle to enrol in school, access healthcare and social services, prove their age, and benefit from government programmes. Unregistered children are also more vulnerable to child marriage, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation because their age cannot be legally verified.
Recognising legal identity as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of inclusive development, the Government of Malawi, through the National Registration Bureau (NRB), partnered with UNDP Malawi under the Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi (IDT4M) project to modernise and strengthen the country's civil registration system, ensuring that every child is counted and protected from birth.
A major milestone has been the introduction and expansion of the Nzika digital platform, which is transforming how birth registration services are delivered. Through digital technology and streamlined processes, 74 health facilities across Malawi now issue instant birth certificates, allowing parents to register their children and receive official documentation before leaving the health facility. This innovation has significantly reduced delays while bringing essential registration services closer to families.
The investment is already delivering tangible results.
Lilongwe resident Grace Munthali says she is delighted that her child has been officially counted as a citizen.
"I feel great that my child is counted as a citizen. I believe my child will have all the privileges of a citizen growing up."Grace Chapita Munthali
For mothers like Grace Chapita Munthali, who recently gave birth at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, the new system represents more than just administrative convenience but a reassurance that her child’s future is protected.
Shortly after giving birth, Grace registered her newborn through the national digital birth registration system and immediately received her child's birth certificate.
"I feel great that my child is counted as a citizen. I believe my child will have all the privileges of a citizen growing up," she says.
For Grace, birth registration provides peace of mind that her child will be able to access education, healthcare, social protection and other essential services throughout life. Knowing that her child is officially recognised by the state gives her confidence that they will be able to claim their rights and fully participate in society.
Her experience reflects that of thousands of parents now benefiting from Malawi's modernised birth registration system.
Beyond health facilities, the Government is also implementing a nationwide Universal Birth Registration campaign to register children up to 16 years of age who missed registration at birth. The campaign combines community outreach, school-based registration, mobile registration services and decentralised registration centres to ensure every eligible child is reached, including those living in remote communities.
The phased approach is already yielding remarkable results. During Phase 1, covering Chitipa, Likoma, Dedza, Blantyre Rural and Machinga, and Phase 2, covering Nkhata Bay, Dowa, Chiradzulu, Zomba City and Zomba District, approximately 2.1 million children were registered. Combined with routine registration, Malawi has now registered more than 3.2 million births nationwide, marking significant progress towards the national target of registering approximately 6 million births.
Building on this momentum, the next phase of the Universal Birth Registration campaign will commence on 8 July 2026, expanding services to Mzuzu City, Mzimba North, Lilongwe City and Lilongwe Rural West, bringing the country one step closer to achieving universal birth registration.
Between April and June 2026 alone, nearly 120,000 children were registered, demonstrating the continued demand for accessible registration services and the effectiveness of Malawi's digital civil registration reforms.
Through its partnership with the National Registration Bureau, UNDP Malawi continues to support the Government in building a more inclusive, efficient and resilient civil registration system that leaves no child behind. By strengthening digital systems, expanding access to instant birth registration services and supporting nationwide registration campaigns, the partnership is helping ensure every child receives a legal identity from birth.
Supported by the European Union, the Government of Norway and Irish Aid, the initiative is laying the foundation for improved planning, stronger public service delivery and greater protection of children's rights.
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