At least 70 percent of children in the country experience different forms of socioeconomic deprivations that classify them as multi-dimensionally poor, a 2023 Child Poverty Report has revealed.

The figure is an increase from a similar survey in 2018 which found that about 60 percent of Malawian children were multi-dimensionally poor.

Donto (3L), Zimpita (3R) and Kanyanda (2R) during the lunch

The report also indicates that among all children between zero and 17 years, the sanitation dimension has the highest deprivation rate at 64.7 percent, followed by housing at 47.9 percent and education at at 46.7 percent.

However, in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the report in Lilongwe on Wednesday, National Statistics Office (NSO) Commissioner of Statistics Shelton Kanyanda pointed out that it is not easy to determine whether Malawi has improved or worsened in the area due to changes in the international definition of sanitation.

“Actually, there have been some changes in the international definition of sanitation as a result we can’t really compare what we had in sanitation in the previous survey with what we have now,” he said.

The study was undertaken by the NSO in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Department of Economic Planning and Development in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

The report further indicates that children living in rural areas are more deprived in all dimensions than those in urban areas.

Reads the report: “About 70 percent of children residing in rural areas were deprived of sanitation, compared to 35.1 percent of those in urban areas.”

In all the three regions of the country, children were least deprived in the protection dimension, ranging from 12.4 percent to 106.6 percent.

The Central Region had the highest deprivation rate, followed by the Southern Region and Northern Region respectively.

The previous report of 2018 stated that the highest level of deprivation was in housing at 60 percent for all age groups, except the 15-18 age group where the highest deprivation rate was in education at 87 percent.

Economic Planning and Development Principal Secretary Patrick Zimpita said the report is a good document which guide guide government on how to implement some of its policies.

He said: “The National Youth Policy of 2023 spells out interventions that government would like to implement to make sure that there is adequate investment in the youth as Malawi goes forward.”

He said the interventions include the school feeding programme aimed at retaining learners in schools.

On her part, UN resident coordinator Rebecca Ada Donto cautioned that the 70 percent of children in poverty should not dealt with as just another statistic, observing that children bear a significant burden amid crises hence prioritising their well-being is crucial.

She said: “They [findings] reflect the everyday lived experiences of our children in Mangochi, Mulanje, Mwanza and countless other districts across Malawi. Indeed, behind every number is a human face.

“Lack of access to basic needs for children and unequal access to opportunities has real impacts not just on their lives, but overall development potential.”

One of the child rights bodies present, Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education executive director Lucky Mbewe described the findings as evidence that Malawi is not doing well in the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of Children, to which the country is party.

He said: “We can do better as a country. This should serve as a wake-up call to government, civil society organisations and development partners to urgently do something about this situation.”

Mbewe said Malawi has been quick to commit to child protection instruments, but has not been as swift in implementing the provisions of such instruments.

Government held the policy dialogue and launched reports on multidimensional poverty, vulnerability, and shocks with support from Irish Embassy in Malawi and the European Union through the Joint Sustainable Development Goals fund.

The event attracted representatives from UN agencies, NSO, government officials and other stakeholders.

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