The Programme Coordinator, Initiative for Human Rights and Development, Mrs Victoria Adenowo, has called for increased public awareness on the importance of early birth registration.
Adenowo made the call on Tuesday in Ibadan, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day celebrated on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day is celebrated on Aug. 10 every year, with the aim of increasing public awareness on the importance of timely registration of vital events, particularly births and deaths.
Adenowo said that a well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics systems helps in facilitating access to essential services such as healthcare, education and social protection of infants and children.
“Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems record deaths and other key life events such as births and marriages.
“It is an important instrument through which fundamental human rights enshrined in international declarations and conventions are supported in legal instruments,” she said.
Adenowo, however, said that about 50 per cent of births of children under five remained unregistered in the country.
“Information from vital records is critical to identify and quantify health-related issues and to measure progress toward quality improvement and public health goals.
“A birth certificate is a vital record issued by the civil registrar that documents the birth of a child.
“Low birth registration limits the ability of the most vulnerable groups to claim and access their rights.
“Accurate and timely documentation of births and deaths is essential to high-quality vital statistics,” she said. (NAN)
