Executive summary
In recent years, there have been significant improvements in prioritizing child protection in
Malawi. The development agenda included a child protection system approach in the Malawi
Growth and Development Strategy II (2012-16), setting a strengthened child protection system as
one of its expected results. United Nations Agencies aligned with the Government agenda,
incorporating child protection systems in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework
(2012-16). The Ministry of Gender, Children and Community Development, the Government branch
mandated of coordinating and implementing child protection, established a Child Protection Division
within the re-established Social Welfare Department.
This evolution, rather than departure from previous experiences, was developed from the
domain of Orphans and other Vulnerable Children. With an HIV and AIDS prevalence rate of 11%,
Malawi has been hit hardly by this pandemic and interventions to mitigate the impact of the disease
date back more than a decade. In 2003, a National Policy for Orphans and other Vulnerable Children
(NPA/OVC) was adopted, eventually followed by a National Plan of Action (2005-2009) which was
extended to 2011. The NPA/OVC already covered child protection concerns, among others, birth
registration, community caring mechanisms, children in institutions, protect from abuse,
exploitation and property dispossession. Implementation is a frequent challenge.