A report by the
United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) shows that 60% of babies born in Nigeria
are not registered.
However Jean
Gough, UNICEF’s Country Representative in Nigeria said the situation has
improved, with the birth registration of children under 5 years old increasing
from 30% in 2007 to 41.5% in 2011.
“But children
from the poorest households saw only a slight increase – from 9% to 12%; whereas
their richest counterparts increased from 51% to 76%.“We still have a lot of
work to do in terms of narrowing the gap for Nigeria to achieve universal
registration of all children under-five years,” Gough said.
In the past,
Nigeria’s birth registration was characterised by late and delayed
registration, but today as a result of Rapid SMS, those registered by their 1st
birthday has increased from 10% in 2009 to over 40% in 2012.
Gough further
stated that babies "unregistered at birth or without identification
documents are often excluded from accessing education and health care. If
children are separated from their families during natural disasters, conflicts
or as a result of exploitation, reuniting them is made more difficult by the
lack of official documentation.
“Birth
registration, as an essential component of a country’s civil registry, also
strengthens the quality of vital statistics, aiding planning and government
efficiency. "
The report
titled: 'Every Child’s Birth Right: Inequities and Trends in Birth
Registration' collects statistical analysis from 161 countries. Globally
in 2012, only around 60 per cent of all babies born were registered at birth.
The rates vary significantly across regions, with the lowest levels of birth
registration found in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
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