Reaching the most vulnerable: Ensuring no child is left behind
To make children count, we first must be able to count children. An estimated 230 million children globally under the age of five have not had their births registered (UNICEF, 2013). When a child’s birth is not registered, they do not officially exist before the law and are essentially invisible. Children who have not been registered are often unable to obtain a birth certificate and as a result, they may be denied access to their rights and essential services such as health care, welfare grants or education. Later in life, due to their inability to prove their age, this increases the risk for a child to be forced to marry, enter the labor market, or be recruited into armed forces before the legal age. In adulthood, birth certificates may be required to obtain social assistance, access health care, prove your nationality, and to register your own child’s birth. Birth registration is a critical first step in safeguarding child’s rights and ensuring a better world for our children.