UNICEF says universal birth registration crucial for advancing African children’s rights

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) issued a policy note in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Sunday, reiterating the call to register all African children at birth to boost their protection and secure a brighter future for them.

The policy note commemorates the 8th Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day (CRVS), which is marked annually on Aug. 10. UNICEF stressed that birth registration is a fundamental right for every child.

The Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 calls for the provision of a legal identity for all, but in sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of all children under five remain unregistered at birth, UNICEF said.

"With Africa expected to account for one-third of all global births by 2050, achieving universal birth registration is both a rights imperative and a demographic necessity," the agency observed.

So far, African countries that have achieved over 90 per cent birth registration coverage include Algeria, Botswana, and Sierra Leone, and in terms of regions, the coverage in Southern Africa is 88 per cent, followed by 63 per cent in West Africa and 41 per cent in Eastern and Central Africa, according to UNICEF.

UNICEF recommended embedding birth registration into the broader public service ecosystem, including health, education, and social protection, to ensure continuous registration of children.

The UN agency also proposed digitisation to streamline and expand registration in hard-to-reach areas, as well as community engagement, legal reforms, improved governance, and grassroots awareness campaigns, to ensure that every African child is registered at birth.

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