UNICEF: The Right Start in Life: Global levels and trends in birth registration, 2024 update

The report reveals that the world is home to over 200 million children under 5 without a birth certificate, including 150 million unregistered children and 55 million children whose births are reported as registered but lack proof in the form of a birth certificate. The report identifies the countries with the lowest levels of birth registration, the main barriers and disparities and the progress made. UNICEF reminds us that “The costs of taking action are significantly lower than the costs of inaction » and that “achieving universal birth registration will require a concerted, discrimination-free approach. Efforts must be grounded in collective action by partners engaged in strategic global and regional initiatives, with targeted investments to enhance the efficiency of routine systems and to make them more responsive to the needs of all children – particularly those affected by humanitarian crises, migration, health emergencies and statelessness.”

CHIP is honored to be able to work with UNICEF in projects, which have allowed to better understand the causes and barriers to birth registration, as well to identify promising practices, such as interoperability with the education sector.

Source: The Right Start in Life: Global levels and trends in birth registration, 2024 update, UNICEF, December 2024, https://data.unicef.org/resources/the-right-start-in-life-2024-update/