Child Data book on SDGs unveil

DILI, 09 May 2019 - The Government of Timor-Leste and UNICEF jointly unveiled the publications “SDGs Child Data Book 2018” and the report “Timor-Leste Birth Registration Baseline Assessment 2018”. Elias dos Santos Ferreira, Director General of the General Directorate of the Statistic, Hiroshi Minami, Ambassador of Japan and Valérie Taton, Representative, UNICEF Timor-Leste along with other dignitaries jointly launched these publications today. 

Supported by the Government of Japan, the data book focused on the situation and status of Timorese children in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report will play an important role in planning and resource allocation for about half of the population of the country who are under 18 years old. The book will also contribute to the on-going Voluntary National Reviews on SDGs in 2019.

“Data is a fundamental tool for evidence-based planning and dialogue,” said Valérie Taton. “The disaggregated data on various SDGs will help us to identify the bottleneck areas to address child rights issues as well as enforce transparency and accountability.” 

The data book presents information in a reader-friendly manner focusing on each sector related to child development including health, education, water sanitation etc., encompassing all SDGs related to children.

The publication is the joint venture of UNICEF and UNFPA in collaboration of the GDS of the Ministry of Finance.  In particular; UNFPA provided technical support to confirm data accuracy of the document by reviewing content.

According to the Timor-Leste Birth Registration Baseline Assessment 2018 report the national average of birth registration of children under five years of old is more than 60 per cent; however, the number of children received a birth certificate for the same age group is above 29 per cent.

It is evident that the birth registration is a fundamental step towards good governance and a vital element in the fostering of democratic processes. Not only does the process of registration allow effective administration and bring children to the notice of decision-makers, but also provides a tool for planning and resource allocation by municipalities considering the size of the population. Birth registration is one of the critical indicators of implementation of the SDG 16. 

The event is part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

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