Ensuring birth registration of children under the age of 5 has been described as major tool of protecting children and their rights.
The UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Kano, Mr Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, disclosed this during a meeting with Kano stakeholders on Digital Birth Registration in Kano held at the Grand Central Hotel Kano.
Represented by Mr Micheal Banda, Farah said birth registration has been given great priority in the sustainable development goals.
He noted that though Nigeria has made progress at birth registration, a lot needed to be done in ensuring that children under 5 were being registered.
“According to multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) 2021,only 33 percent of these registered children have a birth certificate.”
He explained that UNICEF is supporting Nigerian Government through the National Population Commission NPC to explore innovative measures and strategies to ensure every child is registered at birth.
“While I congratulate Kano state government on attaining 55% birth registration coverage, I will like to remind all that, more than 45% of children still do not have their birth registration. This is a gap that we must work together to close.”
He maintained that UNICEF will not relent in supporting Kano government to improve birth registration coverage from 57% to 87% by 2027.
In his remark, the Chairman National Population Commission, Nasir Isa Kwarra, represented by Director Civil Registration, Vital Statistics, Mr Mathew Sunday said NPC is not living any stone unturned in ensuring that every child is registered.
