Ermera is a picturesque province in the heart of Timor-Leste, surrounded by lush coffee plantations and dense vegetation. To reach it, involves a one and a half-hour drive from the capital, Dili, winding through a mountain pass that reaches an impressive altitude of 1,000 meters. Along the roadside, improvised fruit kiosks sporadically appear, selling bananas and vibrant green pumpkins.
Upon arriving in the city of Gleno, we head to the public notary office to take a look at the birth registration and certification process. Local officials warmly welcome us and provide updates on the latest interventions supported by UNICEF. A well-designed system has been put in place: pregnant women visiting any hospital facility receive a “mother-child booklet.” This comprehensive guide contains essential information about infant care, including nutrition and parenting guidelines and has a section for birth registration.
When a delivery occurs, whether in a hospital or elsewhere, the attending midwife fills out the birth registration form in duplicate. One copy remains with the family, while the other accompanies the midwife to the local health centre. Remarkably, by the time the child arrives at the health care center for their vaccinations six weeks after birth, the birth certificate is already printed and handed to the mother for healthy facility delivered children. According to data from the Gleno public notary, this streamlined process -- supported by the Government of Japan -- resulted in 13,343 birth certificates being issued to mothers in Ermera alone. From 2018 to 2022, the birth certification issuance in the region rose from 27,313 to 95,504 (a 43 per cent increase). This is a significant achievement given the many barriers to birth registration in Timor Leste.
As a safety net, an additional template is provided to families in cases where the delivery occurs without midwife assistance or if birth registration was not completed. This alternative process involves notification through the village leader, followed by the issuance of the birth certificate.
Just a few hundred meters away from the public notary office lies the local community healthcare centre, bustling with mothers and children patiently waiting in line for vaccinations. The air is especially charged today because a baby was born just minutes before our arrival. We take this opportunity to engage with some of the mothers waiting in line, learning about their experiences.
One mother, whose baby girl is named Maria, explains that her child doesn’t yet have a birth certificate because they plan to wait for the baptism. Another woman shows us her booklet, revealing that the birth registration pages were not properly filled out. We offer guidance on the necessary steps to obtain her certificate. A sizable crowd gathers, attentively listening to our advice.
As we observe the immunization process, our emotions are mixed. We celebrate the progress achieved but also recognize that much work remains to ensure that every child is registered at birth and receives a certificate. Efforts are also needed to encourage more mothers to deliver their babies at health facilities to ensure quality maternal and newborn care together with routine vaccines at birth and issuance of a birth certificate. UNICEF’s unwavering commitment to providing legal identity for all children necessitates ongoing efforts, including legislative reforms, community awareness campaigns, and the provision of mobile registration kits and other essential resources.
In Timor-Leste and beyond, we persistently strive until every child, including Maria and #everychild, is accounted for.
