Cabo Verde commonly distinguishes children aged 0–5, school-age children and adolescents aged 6–17, adults aged 18–64 and older people aged 65 and above. These age groups describe population and service planning, but individual programmes can use different age limits. There is no central service that advises every person through all life stages. Early childhood services cover creche care from 0 to 3 years and educação pré-escolar from 4 to 5 years. The Ministry responsible for Family, Inclusion and Social Development, its DGIS, municipalities, private providers and NGOs share responsibility. Families in Cadastro Social Único (CSU) groups 1 or 2 may qualify for a subsidy toward monthly fees. Applications commonly require the caregiver’s identity document, the child’s birth certificate and the provider’s invoice. Cabo Verde does not guarantee a free place for every child, and availability differs by municipality and island. Children usually enter school at age 6 when they reach that age by 31 December. Ensino Básico lasts eight years and is compulsory and free. The legal framework provides compulsory and universal education through the 10th grade, while secondary education can continue through the 12th grade. Parents or legal representatives register children near their place of residence and support regular attendance. The CSU is required for selected school-related benefits, including transport, school kits and contributions toward higher-education fees. The Instituto Cabo-verdiano da Criança e do Adolescente (ICCA), MFIDS and municipalities respond to child and adolescent protection concerns. Poverty, exclusion, violence, street exposure and leaving school early can lead to referral and support. ICCA, DGIS and the relevant Câmara Municipal may receive a case, assess the situation and arrange available assistance. There is no single nationwide tariff or identical capacity in every municipality. Youth programmes use their own age limits. The Instituto do Desporto e da Juventude supports participation, sport and social inclusion. DGE and IEFP, together with accredited providers, support vocational training, first employment, internships, self-employment and entrepreneurship. Ensino Básico para Jovens e Adultos is available from age 15 and lasts five years. Estágios Profissionais generally address people aged 18–35 who hold a vocational or higher-education qualification, with priority often given to a first entry into work or an entry related to the qualification. RVCC can validate non-formal and informal skills. A minor may work only after the compulsory school age and never before age 15; special protection and working-time rules apply, and DGT oversees compliance and formal approval. In regular marriage procedures, 18 is the minimum age for an adult applicant. A Certificado de Capacidade Matrimonial is used for adults or emancipated persons. Birth certificates support school registration, access to health services and marriage procedures. Identity cards, passports and civil-status services are available online or in person. Marriage, death and parentage records are handled through Registo Civil, while detailed family-law matters belong to the relevant legal services. The Instituto Nacional de Previdência Social (INPS) provides an old-age pension from age 65 for men and 60 for women when the contribution qualifying period is met. An application can be filed up to 60 days before reaching the relevant age or ending work through an INPS service. People living in Cabo Verde do not generally submit an annual proof-of-life declaration for this pension; recipients living abroad have that annual obligation. An invalidity pension requires at least five contribution years, permanent inability to work of at least 66 percent and recognition through the CVI. The Sistema Nacional de Cuidados, established by Resolution 143/2017, addresses children up to age 12 with priority for ages 0–3, dependent people over 65 and people with disabilities who need help with daily activities. MFIDS, municipalities and NGOs provide or support cuidados domiciliários, Lar services, Centro de Dia services, caregiver training and institutional subsidies. Care is treated as a social right, but households still carry substantial responsibility, often with a gender impact. Decree-Law 80/2021 supports the formalisation of care work. Reported capacity is time- and programme-specific: one MFIDS programme page referred to 16 municipalities and 90 home caregivers, while later government statements referred to 150 caregivers nationally. These figures do not establish a permanent national capacity or a uniform fee. Access to many social-protection benefits begins with registration in the Cadastro Social Único through the relevant Câmara Municipal. A household visit may be part of the assessment, with the household’s consent. MFIDS coordinates nationally while municipalities handle much of the local administration. Eligibility is commonly assessed by target group and income, often including CSU groups 1 and 2. The Rede de Segurança can include Pensão Social Básica, Rendimento Social de Inclusão, housing, food, education and emergency assistance; exact amounts and periods depend on the programme and can change. Life-stage transitions can involve birth, missing documents, leaving school, unemployment, poverty, disability, loss of care, widowhood, death, fire or flooding. DGIS, the Câmara Municipal and Proteção Civil can provide or coordinate assistance. For emergency support after a fire or flood, the MFIDS information available for the programme referred to basic goods of up to 70,000 CVE and required a fire-service certificate and photographs. A normal birth certificate costs 150 CVE, a multilingual version costs 1,600 CVE and the certificate is valid for six months. Applications can be made through GOV.CV or its app for oneself or a represented person. The birth register therefore remains a lifelong access document, not merely a record of birth. When a person cannot use a service because documents are missing, civil-status assistance may need to come before education, social protection or another benefit application. The practical availability of each service should be checked with the responsible municipality or institution because national rules and local capacity do not produce identical access on every island.
Life stages in Cabo Verde
Life stages in Cabo Verde are supported through separate services rather than one unified national system. These services cover early childhood, education, child protection, youth training and work, adulthood documents, pensions, care dependency and crisis assistance. Responsibilities are shared among national bodies, municipalities, institutions, NGOs and households, so access and capacity differ between islands and municipalities.
Tip
Treat life-stage support in Cabo Verde as a locally coordinated process, not as one nationwide service with identical access everywhere. Start by identifying the immediate need, confirming the responsible municipality or institution, and checking documents and CSU status before relying on a benefit, place or care service.