Birth registration is often considered to be no more than a legal formality, unrelated to child development, health, education or protection. However, the 48 million children whose births go unrecorded each year are being denied their right to an identity, to the fulfilment of additional rights and to protections as citizens. Registration allows children access to health care, education and social assistance. Among other key protections, it provides a safeguard against illegal adoption, early marriage, forced recruitment and trafficking, and can help reunify those who have been separated from their families. This global assessment analyses the reasons for non-registration and the differentials of registration, concluding with recommendations for new programmatic approaches that can improve rates of birth registration.
Universal Birth Registration Campaign
