UNICEF Advocates for Birth Registration of Children

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for intensified advocacy and public awareness regarding the importance of birth registration for children under one year. This call was made during a two-day media dialogue on “Support Advocacy on Birth Registration of Children Under One Year,” organized by the Lagos State Office of the National Population Commission (NPoPC) in collaboration with UNICEF.

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, highlighted that legal identity is a fundamental right that protects children and aids in development planning. She noted that 3.5 million children across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Edo states lack birth certificates, which are crucial for accessing rights and services.

Lafoucriere urged the media and stakeholders to sustain public awareness campaigns to help parents understand the implications of failing to register their children at birth. She emphasized that birth registration is not merely administrative but essential for child protection and development.