Coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi

Malawi: Coverage of social safety net programs was 37.7% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
37.7%
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
22nd
of 38 countries
All-time high
50.8%
in 2004
All-time low
19.8%
in 2010
Years of data
5
2004–2019

Coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi, 2004–2019

02040602004201120192004: 50.8 % of population2010: 19.8 % of population2013: 41.7 % of population2016: 41.2 % of population2019: 37.7 % of population

Source: ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi is 37.7%, measured in 2019.

The figure is down 8.6% on the previous year and up 90.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi peaked at 50.8% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 19.8%, in 2010.

That places Malawi 22nd out of 38 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

Coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Coverage of social safety net programs (% of population) in Malawi, 2004 to 2019.
Year % of population Change
2004 50.8%
2010 19.8% -61.0%
2013 41.7% +110.8%
2016 41.2% -1.2%
2019 37.7% -8.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 50.8% 50.8% 50.8% 1
2010s 35.1% 19.8% 41.7% 4

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 19 Uruguay 45.7% compare
  2. 20 Armenia 42.0% compare
  3. 21 Mexico 40.6% compare
  4. 23 Ukraine 36.8% compare
  5. 24 Argentina 33.2% compare
  6. 25 Republic of Moldova 32.7% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More work & labour data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi?
Coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi was 37.7% in 2019, according to ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, World Bank (WB).
What is the highest coverage of social safety net programs recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 50.8% in 2004.
What is the lowest coverage of social safety net programs recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 19.8% in 2010.
How does Malawi rank for coverage of social safety net programs?
Malawi ranks 22nd out of 38 countries with data for 2019.
Is coverage of social safety net programs rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 90.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, World Bank (WB), published as part of Coverage of social safety net programs (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Coverage of social safety net programs in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, World Bank (WB). Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/coverage-of-social-safety-net-programs-percent-of-population/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Coverage of social safety net programs (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, World Bank (WB)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
38 places, 385 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Coverage of social safety net programs shows the percentage of population participating in cash transfers and last resort programs, noncontributory social pensions, other cash transfers programs (child, family and orphan allowances, birth and death grants, disability benefits, and other allowances), conditional cash transfers, in-kind food transfers (food stamps and vouchers, food rations, supplementary feeding, and emergency food distribution), school feeding, other social assistance programs (housing allowances, scholarships, fee waivers, health subsidies, and other social assistance) and public works programs (cash for work and food for work). Estimates include both direct and indirect beneficiaries.