The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) conducts a review of its member states every five years through a mechanism known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR aims to assess the human rights situation in all member states. Currently, countries are preparing reports for the 4th cycle review. The Government of Malawi is expected to submit its state-party report, while human rights organizations are expected to submit their shadow reports.
During this reporting period, the NGO Coalition on Child Rights coordinated the development and submission of civil society organization (CSO) and child-led shadow reports on the current status of child rights in Malawi. The CSO report was developed by 15 non-governmental organizations, while the child-led report was prepared by 182 children (75 boys, 94 girls, and 16 children with disabilities) from 18 districts across the country.
The CSO shadow report contains eight chapters covering key issues such as legal and policy frameworks, equitable access to education, access to primary health care, child protection, budgeting and resourcing for children, and the effects of climate change on children. The child-led report focuses on nine common forms of violence against children, including child trafficking, child sexual abuse, child labor, discrimination against vulnerable children, child marriage, and teenage pregnancies.
The submission of these reports serves as a powerful advocacy tool, as the UNHRC uses them to provide recommendations to state parties aimed at improving the human rights situation—in this case, with a particular focus on child rights.
The CSOs and children are scheduled to present their shadow reports in August 2025 in a closed session, while the Government of Malawi is expected to present its report in September 2025