A new UNICEF report highlights progress in global birth registration, with over 500 million children under five registered in the past five years, raising global coverage to 77 percent, up from 75 percent in 2019.
Despite this progress, 150 million children remain unregistered, lacking legal recognition and access to essential rights, UNICEF confirmed in its report released on Wednesday.
The report, titled The Right Start in Life: Global Levels and Trends in Birth Registration, 2024 Update, also reveals that over 50 million registered children lack birth certificates, which are critical for securing nationality and accessing services like healthcare and education.
While regions like Latin America and Eastern Asia boast high registration rates, sub-Saharan Africa lags at 51 percent, accounting for over half of the world’s unregistered children. Barriers include weak policies, high costs, and discrimination.
