Birth registration: a child's passport to protection

On Dec 11, 2013, UNICEF celebrates its 67th birthday. On that day, an estimated 380 000 children will be born worldwide.1 Only six out of ten of these births will be recorded with civil authorities.2 Article 7 in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child3 regards birth registration immediately after birth as one of the fundamental human rights of children. If such formal recognition by the state does not occur, a child might be unable to obtain a birth certificate and thus be denied health care or education.