Recognising the magnitude and complexity of challenges standing in the way of children’s’ rights and their effect on the burden and prevalence of key deprivations in West and Central Africa region, considered alongside the heightened ambitions attached to the sustainable development agenda 2030, necessitate new ways of doing business to accelerate progress, the UNICEF Regional Office defined a series of Key Results for Children.
As part of the Mid-Term Review of the Key Results for Children, ahis multi-country evaluation will review the implementation of initiatives to increase Birth Registration (BR) rates as one of the Key Results for Children (KRCs) in West and Central Africa Region (WCAR) as a basic human right as defined in the Child Rights Convention Art.7 – Right to name and nationality, and Art.8 – Right to identity as a provision and as a means to meet child protection outcomes including the right to basic services. Not only is birth registration a fundamental human right, it also helps ensure that children’s other rights are upheld – like the right to protection from violence, and access to essential social services, health care and justice.
To date, it is estimated that 47 million children under 5, of which 10 million of children under 1, are not registered in WCAR (WHO/UNICEF JMP 2019). While a number of countries are making steady progress in improving registration rates, some have stagnating or even declining rates. Out of the 10 countries with the lowest rates globally, three are located in WCAR1. Under 1 registration remains considerably lower for all countries in the region. This is a trend that requires urgent shift if sustained registration progress is to be achieved, particularly in view of universal targets.
Only a few countries in the region are on track to attain full birth registration for children under 1 and under 5 by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9) (see TOR attached).
Year Published | |
Type | |
Joint | No |
Partner/s | N/A |
Consultant name | |
Agency Focal Point | Hanu Vossah |
Focal Point Email | hvossah@unicef.org |
Managed by Independent Evaluation Office | No |
Geographic Scope | Country |
Country/ies |