Minister of homeland Security, Peter Mukhito, today visited Dedza District to oversee the progress of the National Registration Bureau’s (NRB) mass birth registration campaign.
The Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Homeland Security, Norman Chisale, MP, alongside key development partners and members of the diplomatic community.
The visit underscores the government’s commitment to addressing a critical identity gap that currently affects approximately 4.6 million children under the age of 16 across the country.
“For decades, many Malawian children have lived without formal legal recognition due to outdated colonial-era legislation. This campaign is a decisive step toward rectifying that history. By ensuring every child is registered, the Ministry is providing a legal umbrella that secures several fundamental rights,” said Mukhito.
A birth certificate is the primary legal instrument used to prevent child trafficking, combat child labour, and enforce laws against early marriage by providing indisputable proof of age.
Registration also secures a child’s right to Malawian nationality, serving as a safeguard against statelessness.
The process further creates a seamless transition for children to enter the National ID system upon reaching the age of 16, facilitating future financial and social inclusion.
During the tour, the delegation highlighted the importance of birth registration as a foundation for evidence-based governance. Accurate data from the NRB is essential in ensuring that the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health can accurately project needs for school desks, teachers, and life-saving vaccines.
The data also enables the Ministry of Finance to align national budgets with actual population density in districts such as Dedza, while supporting Vision 2063 and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Target 16.9, which calls for legal identity for all by 2030.
The presence of the diplomatic community in Dedza signals strong international support for the initiative.
The campaign, being rolled out in seven strategic phases, uses public primary schools as registration centres to ensure maximum reach, particularly in rural communities.
Concluding the tour, Mukhito emphasized that legal identity is not a luxury but a fundamental human right. He said that by documenting children today, Malawi is securing the integrity and future of the Republic.
