Birth registration

This section looks at issues relating to birth registration. This is part of the legal provision needed to promote children's rights. Another section looks at inheritance issues.

Ensuring access to essential services is one of the five key strategies identified in the global strategic framework introduced in 2004. Birth registration is one of those essential services.

A child has a right to an identity and to have their birth registered. However, this does not happen for many children living in developing countries, particularly in remote rural areas. States have a responsibility to do this but they often do not regard it as a priority. Failure to have their birth registered may deprive a child of other rights. For example, it may not be possible to attend school without a birth certificate.

Steps which can be taken to increase the number of children having their births registered include:

  • States increasing the priority they give to this issue. Birth registration was the theme for the Day of the African Child in June 2003.
  • Simplifying and decentralizing the registration process. In some cases, parents have to travel to the capital to register their children. This involves considerable time and expense.
  • Targeting birth registration services at the poorest and most marginalised people.
  • Linking birth registration to immunisation.
  • Removing barriers to registration, such as fines for late registration and petty bureaucratic rules.
  • Running information campaigns aimed at parents and adult caregivers explaining the importance of birth registration.

Global guidelines and strategies for universal birth registration: An Analysis of the Concluding Observations and General Comments of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (Eng)

This short paper outlines the relevant articles in the Rights of the Child and provides guidelines and strategies for improving access to birth registration.
PLAN, Nicola Sharp, 2006, PDF, 12 pages, 1830 kb

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Resources

Universal birth registration: a universal responsibility (Eng)

This report addresses the issue of birth registration and how this issue links to the rights and protection of children.  It includes case studies from PLAN's policy and programme work on birth registration.
PLAN, Nicola Sharp, 2005, PDF, 60 pages, 163 kb

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A Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Living in a World with HIV/AIDS (Eng)

This framework is based on lessons learned over many years. It considers families and communities as the foundation of an effective, scaled-up response.
UNICEF, 2004, PDF, 23 pages, 397 kb.

The Day of the African Child: Birth Registration (Eng)

This is a media advisory from UNICEF: The Day of the African Child falls on 16 June and the theme for this year is birth registration.
UNICEF, 2003, PDF, 2 pages, 86kb.

Birth Registration: Right from the Start (Eng)

This is the press release from UNICEF on from 16 June 2003: Day of the African Child.
UNICEF,  2003, PDF, 3 pages, 24 kb.