The Sixth Integrated Household Survey (IHS6) is Malawi’s latest nationally representative household survey, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) between July 2024 and July 2025. Implemented every three to four years, it provides comprehensive data on poverty, living standards, food security, health, education, employment, housing, agriculture, and financial inclusion, supporting the monitoring of national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.
With financial and technical support from the Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement, the survey included—for the first time in its 30-year history — refugees living in Dzaleka camp, generating evidence on their socioeconomic conditions alongside those of the wider population.
For Dzaleka, the findings point to very low food insecurity. Only 7.8 percent of households reported that adults eat three or more meals a day, compared with 37.3 percent nationally. They also show relatively high financial account ownership of 45.5 percent among residents aged 15 and above, higher than in Malawi’s major cities.
The inclusion of Dzaleka Refugee Camp strengthens the availability of data on displaced populations in national statistical systems and is relevant as policy discussions in Malawi look at how Dzaleka is integrated with the local environment, economy, and service infrastructure.