A sobering new report from UNICEF reveals a stark reality: despite significant strides in birth registration globally, a staggering 150 million children remain unregistered, effectively invisible to governments and legal systems. These children, denied a legal identity from birth, face a heightened risk of statelessness, exploitation, and a range of human rights violations.
While the report notes notable progress, with 77 percent of children under five registered in the last five years (a two percentage point increase since 2019), the sheer number of unregistered children – a figure equivalent to the entire population of several large nations – underscores the urgent need for continued and amplified efforts. The situation is particularly acute for the additional 50 million children who, though registered, lack the crucial documentation of an official birth certificate.
The absence of a birth certificate has profound consequences. It deprives children of their fundamental right to identity, making them vulnerable to a cascade of risks including child labor, forced marriage, and recruitment into armed conflict. Crucially, a birth certificate serves as the cornerstone for accessing essential services such as healthcare, education, and social protection programs. Without it, these children are effectively excluded from the benefits and protections afforded to their registered peers.
“Birth registration ensures children are immediately recognized under the law, providing a foundation for protection from harm and exploitation, as well as access to essential services like vaccines, healthcare and education,” stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. She further emphasized the alarming reality that “Despite progress, too many children remain uncounted and unaccounted for – effectively invisible in the eyes of the government or the law.”
The report sheds light on the geographical disparities, revealing that Sub-Saharan Africa bears the brunt of this crisis, with only 51 percent of young children registered. This highlights the critical need for tailored interventions that address the specific challenges faced in these regions. Obstacles to registration include a lack of parental awareness regarding the process, prohibitive costs associated with registration, insufficient political will to prioritize the issue, and, in some instances, discriminatory practices based on gender, ethnicity, or religion.
UNICEF’s report serves as a clarion call for governments, international organizations, and civil society to collaborate in strengthening birth registration systems, increasing public awareness, and addressing the underlying causes of this persistent challenge. The ultimate goal is to ensure that every child, regardless of their background or location, has the right to a legal identity and the protection it affords.
