The Early Childhood Advocacy Taskforce has warned that Malawi risks undermining its future human capital unless early childhood development (ECD) services are urgently professionalised and adequately funded.

Presenting its communiqué at the close of the 2025 ECD Advocacy and Awareness Week in Lilongwe, the taskforce said although Malawi has made notable policy and institutional gains, serious gaps persist in financing, staffing, community awareness and implementation at local government level.

The taskforce chairperson, Reverend Nase Chunga, said Malawi now has a national ECD policy to guide the sector, an ECD Children’s Commission, and devolved responsibilities that allow councils to implement ECD programmes at district level.

“These gains have created a solid policy foundation,” Rev Chunga said. “However, without adequate financing, skilled caregivers and strong prioritisation at council level, the intended impact cannot be realised.”

At community level, the taskforce reported low enrolment of children in ECD centres, attributing this largely to limited understanding among parents about the importance of early childhood development.

It also raised concern over rising cases of irresponsible parenting, including child abandonment, teenage parenting and neglect, often worsened by mental health challenges linked to drug and substance abuse among parents and caregivers.

At district level, the taskforce said many councils do not prioritise ECD in their development plans and budgets, despite decentralisation.

Nationally, the communiqué describes ECD financing as critically inadequate. About 1.2 billion kwacha was allocated to ECD services in the current national budget, far below what advocates say is required to deliver quality, inclusive services.

The sector is also facing an acute shortage of trained caregivers, with an estimated 70 percent gap nationwide. The taskforce said caregiving must be professionalised through formal training, accreditation, monitoring and incentives.

Among its recommendations, the taskforce is calling for annual ECD funding to be increased to at least 36 billion kwacha, expanded public awareness campaigns on responsible parenting, and stronger monitoring and recognition of ECD caregivers by local authorities.

It also proposes that 10 percent of Constituency Development Fund allocations across Malawi be directed towards ECD programmes to improve nutrition, care and early learning outcomes, including for children with disabilities.

Responding to the communiqué, Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Minister Mary Thom Navicha said the government remains committed to placing ECD at the centre of Malawi’s development agenda.

“Early childhood development is the foundation of human capital development and a cornerstone of sustainable national progress,” Navicha said during a press briefing at the Ministry of Gender.

She said ECD is central to Malawi 2063, particularly Pillar One on Human Capital Development, noting that the rebranding of community-based centres from Sukulu za Mkomba Phala to Mmera Mpoyamba reflects a deliberate policy shift.

Navicha said the issues raised in the communiqué strongly align with government priorities and assured stakeholders that her ministry will continue implementing the National ECD Policy and strengthening coordination across the sector.

She said the government will work with partners to professionalise ECD caregiving and scale up quality, community-based services, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The minister called on local authorities to prioritise ECD in district planning and budgets, urged development partners to align their support with national priorities, and appealed to the private sector to invest in ECD as part of corporate social responsibility.

“Early childhood development is everyone’s responsibility,” she said.

The taskforce’s communiqué describes early childhood development as the cornerstone of human capital and a high-return investment for Malawi’s economy.

Navicha described the document as “a call to action and a statement of national political will”, urging all stakeholders to translate commitments into tangible improvements in the lives of Malawian children.

Early Childhood Development Advocacy Week is an annual national event that brings together government, civil society, development partners and communities to promote improved funding, professionalisation and quality in early childhood care and education.