Birth registration: A first step
Birth registration is the community's first recognition of a child's legal existence. Children have a right to a birth certificate, and in many cases they must be registered to gain access to the country's basic services.
In many countries, registration systems are not yet fully implemented, forcing governments to overlook their own rules requiring proof of birth to access services. This is especially the case outside cities, where rates of registration typically are lower. For example, Kenya, Myanmar, Pakistan and Uganda officially require a birth certificate for school enrolment but do not generally enforce that regulation in rural areas. In a number of countries, including Colombia and Turkey, the birth registration rate noticeably increases when children reach school age because they must be registered to enrol in school.
But even when children do receive services in the absence of a birth certificate, the lack of registration means that their needs are not anticipated. They are more likely to miss out on school and health care and they are more vulnerable to exploitation.
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A birth certificate is required for:*
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|
|
Immunization |
Health care |
School enrolment |
Marriage |
|
Algeria |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Argentina |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes1 |
|
Bangladesh |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Brazil |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
China |
No |
No |
Yes2 |
Yes2 |
|
Colombia |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Congo, Dem. Rep. |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Egypt |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Ethiopia3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
India |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Indonesia |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Iran |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Iraq |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
Kenya |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Mexico |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Morocco |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Myanmar |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Nepal |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Nigeria |
No |
No |
Yes |
- |
|
Pakistan |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Peru |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Philippines |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Russian Fed. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
South Africa |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sudan |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Tanzania |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Thailand4 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Turkey |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Uganda |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Ukraine |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Uzbekistan |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Viet Nam |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
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TOTAL |
10 |
7 |
28 |
14 |
* Among countries with 75% of the world's under-18 population.
1 A birth certificate is required only when the person is under the legal age of marriage: 16 for girls, 18 for boys.
2 An identification card is required but a residence card may suffice.
3 No registration system.
4 A house registration card is needed for most services and a birth certificate is needed to obtain a house registration card. A child may attend school but cannot receive a graduation certificate without a registration card.
Source: UNICEF, 1998.
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