UNICEF lauds Bangladesh’s breakthrough to accelerate universal birth registration
The memorandum of understanding between the Office of the Registrar General, Local Government Division, and the Directorate General of Health Services to accelerate universal birth registration in Bangladesh has been commended by UNICEF.
Despite progress being made in recent years, the percentage of children with official birth registrations remains low in Bangladesh, with only 56 percent of births registered for children under five years of age, said the UN agency on Sunday.
Routine immunization of children under five in Bangladesh is high, at over 90 percent. However, this also means that nearly one in two children do not have a birth certificate.
The agreement signed on Sunday paves the way for an integrated approach, where children will automatically have their birth registered if they were not registered at birth, when they receive their first routine immunization. This will help ensure that more children have access to essential services and opportunities.
“Giving every child a birth certificate is one of the most basic, yet critical things we can do to protect their rights. I commend the government of Bangladesh for taking this essential and holistic initiative, which, once implemented, will benefit millions of children in Bangladesh,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.
A birth certificate is a fundamental document that confirms a child’s identity and citizenship. It is the first step towards claiming other rights, including nationality, education, healthcare and protection.
In Bangladesh, birth registration is free and mandatory. However, many parents are unfamiliar with or overwhelmed by the process of registering the birth of their child.
Md. Rashidul Hassan, Registrar General (Additional Secretary) of the Office of the Registrar General and Local Government Division, stated that this Memorandum of Understanding will help to streamline and improve the birth registration process. He emphasizes how important this is in terms of protecting child rights and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to have their birth registered, regardless of identity.
UNICEF has been supporting the Local Government Division’s efforts to improve birth registration services in Bangladesh since 2001, with online birth registration initiated in 2010. With UNICEF’s technical support, the integration of birth registration and health system databases will be implemented with the aim to reach the Sustainable Development Goals target of universal birth registration for children under five by 2030.
