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to Full UN Article: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31621&Cr=UNICEF&Cr1=
SUDAN - CAMPAIGN TO BOOST BIRTH
REGISTRATION - UN SUPPORT
A young Sudan mother breastfeeds her
baby
29 July 2009 – A United
Nations-backed campaign to boost birth registration was launched today in
“Birth registration itself protects many other human
rights that contribute in turn to a child’s successful development and
protection,” said Per Engebak, acting Representative to
“Without documented proof of age, a child is exposed to
the risk of under-age recruitment, to exploitative child labour and to the evil
of trafficking,” he said. “Without that simple piece of paper in their hands,
children who are separated from their families in times of crisis may be unable
to provide critical information that would help with their reunification.”.....
_______________________________________________________________________
UNIVERSAL BIRTH REGISTRATION - VITAL
FOR GIRLS
Nearly
40 % of Global Births are Unregistered - World Health Organization
29
October, 2007
Children
whose births are not registered are less likely to benefit from basic human
rights, social, political, civic and economic, the WHO said.
____________________________________________________________
CEDAW Committee Recommendation 21:
Article 9
6."Nationality is critical to
full participation in society. In general, States confer nationality on those
who are born in that country. Nationality can also be acquired by reason of
settlement or granted for humanitarian reasons, such as statelessness. Without
status as nationals or citizens, women are deprived of the right to vote or to
stand for public office, and may be denied access to public benefits and
a choice of residence. Nationality should be capable of change by an adult
woman and should not be arbitrarily removed because of marriage or dissolution
of marriage or because her husband or father changes his nationality."
2."States parties shall grant
women equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their
children."
_____________________________________________________________________
Plan International
What Is Birth Registration & Why
Is It Important?
Birth registration is the process by which a child's birth is recorded in the civil register by the applicable government authority. It provides the first legal recognition of the child and is generally required for the child to obtain a birth certificate. Whilst, in some cases, this is issued to the child at the same time as registration, in others, a separate application must be made. It is important that the registered child receive a birth certificate, since it is this that provides permanent, official and visible evidence of a state's legal recognition of his or her existence as a member of society.
Birth registration is a key event in a child's life. This is because of its importance in providing legal proof of the identity of the child. Unregistered children find it difficult to access their human rights. These include the right to a name and nationality, the right to be free from all forms of exploitation, the right to protection in the juvenile justice system, the right to education and the right to healthcare.
When unregistered children grow up they may also be denied the enjoyment of collective privileges that are open to them as equal members of society. These consist of economic privileges, like the opportunity to work, to open a bank account, to obtain credit and to inherit; social privileges including welfare benefits such as marriage, welfare benefits, social security and a pension; and political privileges such as the right to vote and otherwise participate in civil and political affairs.
http://www.writemedown.org/issues/facts/
Over 48 million births each year – 36 per cent of births worldwide – are not registered. According to UNICEF, the regional breakdown of unregistered births is as follows:
|
South
Asia |
63% |
|
Sub-Saharan
Africa |
55% |
|
CEE/CIS
& Baltic States |
23% |
|
East
Asia/Pacific |
19% |
|
Middle
East/North Africa |
16% |
|
Latin
America/Caribbean |
15% |
|
Industrialised
countries |
2% |
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http://www.writemedown.org/research/
|
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