CHILD Protection & Rights > Child Protection Issues.

International and National Commitments for Birth Registration

International framework

The existing international standards for Birth Registration include:
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, (Article 7): signatory governments are responsible for ensuring that systems are in place to register the births of all children.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966). (Article 24.)

Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (1954)

National framework

The registration of births & death in India has been made compulsory under the Registration of Births & Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969.

Links:

- National Commission on Population. India:
http://populationcommission.nic.in/

- PLAN: Universal Birth registration Campaign:
http://www.writemedown.org/

- PLAN: Birth registration and disasters:
http://www.plan-international.org/identity/registrationindisasters/

- UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_ birthregistration.html

Publications:

- Universal Birth Registration - a Universal Responsibility. PLAN, 2005. Available online: http://www.writemedown.org/pdfs/ubrfullreport.pdf

- Universal Birth Registration in Asia. PLAN. Available online:
www.plan-international.org/wherewework/asia/publications/ubrasiabrochure/

- Count me in! PLAN, 2006.
Interim report (2005-2006) on Plan's global campaign for universal birth registration.
Available online:
http://www.plan-international.org/resources/publications/campaigns/

- Universal birth registration: permanent proof of identity in a turbulent world. PLAN. About Plan's campaign for every child to be state registered at birth. Summary and full report available online:
http://www.plan-international.org/resources/publications/campaigns/

- The 'Rights' Start to Life: A statistical analysis of birth registration, UNICEF, 2005.
Birth registration is often considered to be no more than a legal formality, unrelated to child development, health, education or protection. However, registration allows children access to health care, education and social assistance and provides a safeguard against illegal adoption, trafficking. This study analyses the reasons for non-registration and the differentials of registration, concluding with recommendations for new programmatic approaches.
Available online: http://www.unicef.org/publications/ index_25248.html

- Constraints in Birth Registration. Case Study in Andhra Pradesh, 2005: kcci.org.in/downloadnew.asp?file=resources/doc27/eSS_Constraints_George
.pdf