Malawi has rolled out a new National Social Protection Policy, a move described as a key step in shifting the country’s response to poverty and vulnerability to shield the poor from economic and climate shocks.
During the launch of the five-year policy that runs from 2024–2029 in Lilongwe on Friday, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda said the new policy is not just another government
publication, but a collective promise to shift from emergency relief to long-term resilience, inclusive development and building a fairer society.
He said: “Social protection is not an afterthought. It is an indispensable investment in human capital, economic stability, and national progress.
“We don’t want this to become one of the ‘policy-men’, we need action and results.”
The new policy replaces the 2012 National Social Support Policy and introduces a coordinated, lifecycle-based approach.
It also centres on seven strategic pillars, which include social security for informal workers, nutrition-sensitive programming, shock-responsive safety nets and support for resilient livelihoods.
These pillars reflect lessons from past disasters that overwhelmed Malawi’s response systems while the policy’s design aims to address those gaps before the next crisis hits.
The minister pointed to the expansion of the Social Cash Transfer Programme and the ongoing improvements to the unified beneficiary registry as signs that the government is serious about reforming how it supports vulnerable households.
He pledged greater investment from within, adding: “We are tapping into domestic resources and strategic partnerships to close financing gaps. Let us treat this not just as a policy event, but as a collective commitment.”
On his part, Ministry of Economic Planning and Development Principal Secretary Patrick Zimpita described the new policy as a turning point in social protection.
He said that over half of Malawians live below the international poverty datum line of $2.15 (K3 764) per day, while about one in five are in ultra-
poverty, which makes a robust, well-financed social protection system not just important but urgent.
“This is not just a planning tool. It’s a real chance to break the poverty cycle if it’s properly funded and implemented,” said Zimpita.
Irish Embassy deputy head of mission Ronan Sweeny welcomed the consultative nature of the new policy’s development and its focus on harmonising fragmented efforts.
“If development partners and ministries aren’t coordinated, it leads to delays and fragmentation. The new policy does a good job of promoting cohesion,” he said, highlighting that Ireland has supported Malawi’s social protection sector since 2013.
Sweeny said currently, 90 percent of Malawi’s social protection spending comes from donors while in neighbouring Zambia, 70 percent of it is funded locally.
As officials spoke of frameworks and funding for the social protection programme, the underlying message remained clear. The policy should move beyond paperwork and needs practical results that will be felt in communities.
Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs data shows that on average, Malawi Government has been contributing five percent to the Social Cash Transfer Programme since 2016/17 fiscal year, with 36 percent of resources coming from the World Bank, 27 percent from Germany, 23 percent from the European Union, seven percent from Irish Aid and one percent technical support from United Nations’ Children Fund.
At the same time, government’s contribution to the programme covers only one district, with the other 27 districts funded through donor support.
The new policy is tied closely to broader national and continental goals, including Malawi 2063—the country’s long-term development plan, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those that focus on ending poverty and reducing inequality.
