Over 200m births not registered globally – UNICEF, NOA

The United Nations Children’s Fund and National Orientation Agency (UNICEF/NOA) have said that available records show that over 200 million children around the globe have not had their births registered and about 80 countries do not have well-functioning civil registration systems to document births and deaths, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Imo Uche, a resource person from National Population Commission (NPC) while addressing over 150 women at Umuode-Nsulu autonomous community, Isiala North L.G.A, of Abia State during UNICEF/NOA Social Mobilisation Technical Committee, SOMTEC outreach, disclosed that the use of sworn affidavit in place of birth certificate would be dropped in the near future.

He warned that without birth certificates, individuals would face challenges of going to school, seeing the doctor, accessing social protection and participating in public life.

Uche pointed out that inability of some parents to register births of their children could deprive such children of their identities and the crucial birth certificates which are literally children’s passports to benefits such as education and welfare programmes, and shield to help protect him/her from trafficking, child labour, or other forms of abuse.

He said: “When the government knows how many children are born, how many people die and what the principal causes of their deaths are, we know better where to prioritise health investments.”

Ngozi Uduma, Abia Director of NOA, earlier in her remarks, envisioned a Nigerian society where all adhere to Essential Family Practices, EFPs, adding that such practices keep the society healthy while moving forward.

She highlighted that the Essential Family Practices ( EFPs include; routine immunization, focused antenatal care, exclusive breastfeeding on demand, balanced diet (containing all the four food groups), effective hand washing among other Essential Family Practices.

Oriaku Blessing Egbu, leader of Umuode women while interacting with newsmen, described the programme as beneficial, adding, “We are happy for this programme and we must commend the UNICEF and NOA for this wonderful sensitisation programme. I am making this promise on behalf of Umuode women to put in practice all that we were taught about Essential Family Practices”.