A birth certificate is proof of legal identity and is the basis upon which children can establish a nationality, avoid the risk of statelessness and seek protection from violence and exploitation. For example, proof of age is needed to help prevent child labour, child marriage and underage recruitment into the armed forces. 

A birth certificate may also be required to access social service systems, including health, education and justice. One in four children under age 5 (166 million), on average, are not registered. And even when they are, they may not have proof of registration. An estimated 237 million children under age 5 worldwide are currently without a birth certificate (2019). 
 
The reasons are all too common: a lack of resources and investment in accurate and comprehensive civil registration systems, coupled with barriers in accessing birth registration services, along with policy, regulatory and institutional obstacles.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog