Birth registration

All people have a right to birth registration. It is a fundamental right, recognized by article 24, paragraph 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The fulfilment of the right to be registered at birth is closely linked to the realization of many other rights; socioeconomic rights, such as the right to health and the right to education, are at particular risk where birth registration is not systematically carried out, and the protection of children is jeopardized.

2013

In March 2013, in its resolution 22/7 on birth registration and the right of everyone to recognition everywhere as a person before the law, the Human Rights Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on legal, administrative, economic, physical and any other barriers to access to universal birth registration and possession of documentary proof of birth, as well as on good practices adopted by States in fulfilling their obligation to ensure birth registration. The report was submitted to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-seventh session in September 2014.

2016

In September 2016, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted a report to the Human Rights Council, pursuant to resolution 28/13, on strengthening policies and programmes for universal birth registration and vital statistics development.

2019

In September 2019, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted a report to the Human Rights Council, pursuant to resolution 34/15, on best practices and specific measures to ensure access to birth registration, particularly for those children most at risk, marginalized and living in situations of conflict, poverty, emergency or vulnerability, including children belonging to minority groups, children with disabilities, indigenous children, and children of migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons, taking into account the commitment to implement target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals.