‘Why children should be registered at birth’

Nearly 60 per cent of Nigerian children are now registered at birth with civil authorities, the recently launched 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) has revealed. This is an improvement from 47 per cent in 2016.  The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey/National Immunization Coverage Survey Report was launched recently by the National Bureau of Statistics […]

Nearly 60 per cent of Nigerian children are now registered at birth with civil authorities, the recently launched 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) has revealed.

This is an improvement from 47 per cent in 2016. 

The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey/National Immunization Coverage Survey Report was launched recently by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with UNICEF.

Despite the improvement in birth registration in the country it is important for parents and households to continue to register their children at birth because of its many benefits.

According to UNICEF, Birth registration is a one-off event that gives every child a unique identity which will give them better access to vital services like health, education, and social protection.

It says every child has the right to a legal identity, but a quarter of children born today do not “officially” exist. “These children are deprived of birth certificates – their first legal proof of identity – simply because their parents cannot afford it, cannot reach it, or face some other barrier to learning about and accessing registration services.”

UNICEF says without a birth certificate, children are invisible to their governments. This means they may miss out on essential programmes – like child protection, health care and education – that help secure their most fundamental rights.

‘’Because children without a birth certificate are unable to prove their age, they are more vulnerable to violence, abuse and exploitation. These girls and boys risk being trafficked, recruited into armed forces, or forced into early marriage or child labour. If they come into contact with the justice system, they may be prosecuted as adults and exposed to even more violence.

“A birth certificate can also help protect migrant and refugee children from family separation. Without it, these children face a greater risk of statelessness due to lack of legal proof of nationality or legal ties to any country.”

Children without birth certificates also face uncertain futures. “They can be cut off from routine vaccinations and other health care. They may be prevented from receiving social assistance, inheriting property, attending school or registering for exams. As a result, their future job prospects become extremely limited, rendering them more likely to live in poverty.

“In young adulthood, official identification is also needed for basic but important transactions, like opening a bank account, registering to vote and entering the formal job market,” UNICEF said.

According to the organisation, the benefits of birth registration go far beyond the child. “Information from civil registration and vital statistics is essential for a country’s planning. Governments rely on accurate data to assess populations’ needs and make critical decisions about resource allocation – including those that affect the hardest-to-reach families. Without information on who is being left behind and why, social inequities risk becoming entrenched,” UNICEF said. 

“Every child counts – and we must ensure that we count every child, so that they can best benefit from important services like health and education,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative.

He said every child has a right to a name, a nationality and a legal identity, adding that “Working together, we can and must bring Nigeria to meeting its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) obligation to provide a legal identify for all, including through birth registration.”

The recently launched MICS survey also revealed that exclusive breastfeeding rate increased from 24 – 34 per cent.

 Other findings of the survey include that that Nigeria has made progress in some sectors. “Child mortality decreased from 1 in 8 children dying before their fifth birthday (MICS 2016) to 1 in 10 children (MICS 2021). In addition, child marriage (women married before age 18) has reduced from 44 per cent to 30 per cent since 2016.”

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, officially launched the survey in Abuja. The survey provides reliable nationwide and internationally comparable data to monitor the situation of children and women in Nigeria.

A statement from UNICEF said it is a household survey developed by UNICEF to assist countries in filling data gaps for monitoring human development indicators in general and the situation of children and women, in particular. 

Also, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) implemented MICS which provides data on child mortality, health, nutrition, education, child and social protection, women’s health care and empowerment, water, sanitation and hygiene, while NICS assesses vaccination coverage provided through the health systems.

Indicators produced for the first time include social transfer, household energy use, child functioning and foundational learning skills. The survey measures the government’s progress towards national commitments and the SDGs.

The Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO National Bureau of Statistics, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said the 2021 Nigeria MICS-NICS report provided evidence-based data for all key stakeholders to prioritise quality services for children and women with higher efficiency and effectiveness.

He said: “The information collated will inform policies aimed at social inclusion of the most vulnerable.”