Overview

INTRODUCTION

Children Statistics, Malaysia, 2024 presents selected statistics on population, health, education, child protection and children involved in crime. These statistics are among the indicators used in measuring the children’s quality of life and well-being in accordance with the concepts and guidelines recommended by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

POPULATION

Based on the population estimates statistics for 2024, the total number of children under 18 years old (under-18) is estimated at 9.14 million, which is 26.9 per cent of Malaysia's total population (34.06 million). The number of boys and girls under-18 are 4.72 million and4.42 million respectively. Meanwhile, the composition of children under 5 years of age (under-5) in 2024 is 2.36 million or 6.9 per cent of the total number of children in Malaysia. The number of boys and girls under-5 are 1.22 million and 1.14 million respectively.

Notes:

i. ^P Preliminary

ii. The data refers to the mid-year current population estimates based on the Population and Housing Census Malaysia, 2020

iii. The added total may differ due to rounding

HEALTH

Immunisation is a process of vaccination for infant to help strengthen their immune systems to protect infant from complications that can endanger their lives and prevent infectious disease. There are five immunisations given to infant namely Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), Poliomyelitis (Polio), Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (DTP), Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB) and Hepatitis B.

All immunisation coverage recorded an increase in 2023 and Hepatitis B recorded the highest increase of 10.6 percentage points to 107.7 per cent as compared to 97.1 per cent in 2022. This was followed by the three immunisation namely Polio, DTP and HIB increasing by10.5 percentage points to 107.7 per cent respectively as compared to 97.2 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, BCG recorded the lowest increase of 1.0 percentage points to 98.7 per cent (2023) as compared to 97.7 per cent (2022).

Exhibit 2: Immunisation coverage for infant, Malaysia, 2022 and 2023

Notes:

i.  ¹Third dose

ii. ²Fourth dose for 2021

Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia

EDUCATION

Overall, the number of pupils in government and government-aided schools in 2023 increased by 4.6 per cent from 4,962.9 thousand pupils (2022) to 5,192.6 thousand pupils. The largest contribution to this increase is the primary level pupils at 2,993.1 thousand pupils, an increase of 8.1 per cent as compared to the previous year. At the same time, pre-school and upper secondary enrolment also increased to 214.3 thousand pupils and 778.2 thousand pupils respectively.

Table 5: Number of pupils in government and government-aided

schools by level of education, Malaysia, 2022 and 2023

Source: Ministry of Education Malaysia

CHILD PROTECTION

The number of children in need of care and protection recorded by the Department of Social Welfare in 2023 increased by 26.1 per cent to 8,536 children as compared to 6,770 children in 2022. There were more girls in need of care and protection recording 5,418 children as compared to boys (3,118 children). However, boys in need of care and protection recorded a higher increase of 26.4 per cent as compared to girls (25.9%) in the same period.

Exhibit 3: Number of children in need of care and protection by sex,

Malaysia, 2022 and 2023

Source: Department of Social Welfare 

CHILDREN INVOLVED IN CRIME

The number of sexual offences involving children cases reported to the Royal Malaysia Police in 2023 increased by 26.5 per cent in 2023 to 1,567 cases as compared to 1,239 cases in 2022. Physical sexual assault on a child offence recorded the highest number of cases in 2023 at 1,389 cases, followed by non-physical sexual assault on a child (91 cases) and child pornography (67 cases).

Table 7:  Sexual offences involving children by type of offences,
Malaysia, 2022 and 2023

Source: Royal Malaysia Police

For interviews, press statement and clarification to the media, contact:

Baharudin Mohamad

Public Relation Officer

Email: baharudin[at]dosm.gov.my

Phone: 03 8885 7942

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