The Government of Malawi on Saturday led its partners in launching the first-ever National Children’s Alliance (NCA), demonstrating a bold step towards strengthening child participation, amplifying children’s voices, and ensuring that children in Malawi take the lead in shaping issues that concern them.

At a colourful event, which took place at Chikho Hotel at Mponela in Dowa district, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Dr Nertha Semphere Mgala emphasized that the alliance is unique in that it will provide a platform designed, owned, and led by children themselves at national level.

“For a long time, some decisions concerning children have been made without adequately engaging them,” said Mgala.

NCA is a platform championed by the Government of Malawi, through Ministry of Gender Community Development and Social Welfare, and its purpose is to champion coordinated and systematic child-led advocacy, campaign and policy influence in public decision making on issues affecting them.

Currently, there is no formal, national and independent child-led organization that coordinates and implements its own child-led participation initiatives across the country. Therefore, NCA aims to be a national child-led coordinating mechanism that will bring together children’s voices, ideas, concerns, and resolutions in a multi-sectorial environment.

By harmonizing children’s perspectives nationwide, the NCA will drive policy-making processes, civil and children’s rights, and foster innovative solutions to challenges faced by children in their daily lives. The platform ensures that children can advocate for their interests and advance their own agenda.

Mgala said the establishment of the alliance signifies an important shift as Malawi endeavors to move away from a culture of tokenism (where children’s involvement was often symbolic or superficial) towards a culture of genuine child participation, where their voices meaningfully shape policies and programmes.

She further disclosed that the initiative is fully aligned with the National Children’s Commission’s mandate of coordinating and monitoring the implementation of child-related laws, policies, and programmes, as well as ensuring compliance with regional and international child rights instruments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC).

“Now that we are aware that the NCA  is a  child-led structure,  it requires the support of all of us for it to effectively execute its mandate as an advocacy platform. To all Government institutions, Civil Society Organizations, and Development Partners, you all have a shared responsibility to nurture, protect, and guide the children as they exercise their rights responsibly. As a Policy Holder, we are committed to providing technical guidance, mentor-ship, and oversight to ensure that the NCA thrives as a credible and impactful voice for children in Malawi. Remember , “every child’s call is a cry for help, any response made is a priority for support”,” emphasized Mgala.

Save the Children International (SCI) Country Director, Bhekimpilo Khanye, speaking on behalf of the international non-governmental organizations working in the child rights in Malawi, said the launch of the alliance marked a turning point in the fight for and protection of children’s rights in Malawi.

Khanye said the alliance will play a crucial role in transforming how children’s voices are heard, valued, and acted upon in this country.

“This is a turning point. A dream turned into structure. An idea turned into action. A promise turned into power. For a long time, we have spoken about child participation. We have invited children to speak at events, to attend meetings, to feature in campaigns. But the truth is, sometimes their voices were often symbolic — present, but not empowered. That changes today. The National Children’s Alliance is not a symbolic space. It is a real, structured, and inclusive platform led entirely by children, with adults standing beside them — not in front of them. This platform is not just a seat at the table — it is a platform where children own the table, set the agenda, and lead the conversation,” he said.

Added Khanye, “With equal representation of boys and girls from every region of Malawi, with clear structures of governance, with plans for monitoring, advocacy, research, and education, the NCA is designed to be the central engine for systematic, coordinated, and impactful child-led advocacy. It is a unifying voice — bringing together perspectives from children’s parliaments, learners’ councils, children’s corners, climate clubs, and so many other vibrant participation platforms. Through this alliance, children will be able to speak to power, influence laws and policies, monitor implementation of commitments, and share those outcomes with their peers across the country.”

Commissioner Julia Chimuna of the National Children’s Commission (NCC) said the3 establishment of NCA reflects the Commission’s shared values of inclusion, accountability, and partnership.

Chimuna emphasized that policies and programs that the government and stakeholders design and implement can only be more responsive, practical and sustainable if the children are meaningfully engaged.

“As a Commission, we are committed to ensuring that the alliance is functional. We will therefore provide our little technical support to the work of the alliance,” she assured.

In his remarks, the Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition on Child Rights (NGO CCR) Executive Director, Desmond Mhango, expressed excitement, describing the launch of the alliance as the fulfillment of African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Mhango further disclosed that the establishment of the alliance reaffirms Malawi’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, where one of the articles advocate for child participation within the building capacities of the child.

“So the National Children’s Alliance is creating a national platform, which must be decentralized role as a platform where all decisions about children must be heard,” he said.

Currently, the alliance is present in only 12 districts. However, the government and its partners have expressed commitment to expand its structures across the nation.