FAQ

Universal birth registration (UBR) is ensuring that every government that has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) lives up to its responsibility to register all children at birth.

The problem is over 51 million children a year around the world are not registered.  This in turn will have an impact on their lives.

Without a birth certificate a child may have difficulty accessing basic rights such as access to education and health care – for example in a number of countries a child requiring vaccinations will be turned away from the health centre if they can’t produce a birth certificate.

Those without birth certificates are also vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. If a child is trafficked across a country border to work, they can’t prove they are too young if they have no birth certificate.

Ultimately, we are aiming for universal birth registration - that every child born is registered. We are putting our efforts into making sure that the people who can make it possible - governments, international bodies, communities and parents - are made aware of how important it is, and act to do all they can to help make sure that the world's children are registered.

There are many reasons why children are not registered but the most likely causes are either a lack of political will by governments or the lack of ability or resources of the government.  Parents’ reasons for failing to register their children range from affordability and lack of understanding to geographical and cultural factors.

The lack of a birth certificate is not an isolated problem confined to one or two countries. Children around the world are being excluded for the want of a simple piece of paper. International institutions and national governments can do something about this now.

The worst affected region is South Asia, where it is estimated that 64% of children are not registered at birth.

The breakdown for the other regions is:

No, this is not a case of accusing governments, but of highlighting their responsibilities and asking them to take action.

We acknowledge that many people are suspicious of birth registration. However, when governments register children's births, they are fulfilling their responsibility as defined by the CRC. Any country that attempts to use birth registration as a means of control or repression would be guilty of an abuse.

Plan is already working with United Nations (UN) agencies, such as UNICEF, on the issue of birth registration. Plan is asking the UN to give more priority to birth registration by ensuring that governments live up to their commitments under the CRC.

Yes, at grassroots level, Plan is making a difference daily; however, in order to achieve universal birth registration, Plan needs support. This is why we are calling on national governments and the international community to fulfil their responsibilities in relation to article seven of the CRC.