This article UNICEF discusses how UNICEF and the Government of Mozambique are advancing reforms to reduce the number of children placed in institutions—from 7,269 in 2020 to 3,624 in 2024—by prioritizing family-based care. A central innovation is the launch of a unified, electronic registry that tracks children separated from their families alongside prospective adoptive parents, guardians, and foster families. This system, developed during a pilot phase from 2018 to 2024 and now being scaled nationwide, aims to facilitate safer and more nurturing family placements over institutional care.
This registry is part of a broader five-year effort supported by UNICEF that includes training judges, prosecutors, social workers, and IT personnel. It also plays a critical role in safeguarding children during humanitarian crises and climate-induced displacement by better managing and coordinating alternative care options.