Unicef report flags Malawi child spending concerns
Malawi's government allocated billions to education and health but lacks specific child funding details.
The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) 2026-27 Citizens’ Budget report reveals Malawi's government allocated billions of Kwacha to education, healthcare, water, sanitation, and social protection. However, the report does not specify how much of the national budget is directed towards children’s essential needs. This comes as the broader social protection allocation reduced from K217 billion to K123 billion.
Unicef Malawi Chief of Policy, Mathews Tasker, linked the social protection reduction to fewer contributions from development partners, raising concerns for vulnerable households. The budget includes K58 billion for primary and secondary education, K45.7 billion for school operations, and K11 billion for learning materials. The health sector received K108.3 billion for drugs and K91 billion for hospital operations, with K380 billion allocated for water and sanitation.
The report lacks separate allocations for child nutrition, early childhood development, and child protection. Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs, Savel Kafwafwa, previously voiced concern over the funding gap in early childhood development. The NGO Coalition on Child Rights urged the government to increase funding for primary and secondary education administration, the P Class, the National Children’s Commission, and child protection institutions.
Why it mattersChildren in Malawi face potential underfunding for essential services like nutrition and early development due to unclear budget allocations.