Birth record for better planning
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Mahbubul Alam
THE government should give importance to strictly maintaining birth records of all children. A UNICEF report says that only seven per cent newborn children (260,000) usually come annually under the existing birth registration net of the government. But the rest -- more than 3.0 million children-remain outside the government record every year.
Keeping birth records of children is important not only to make them visible but also to formulate a sound plan for bringing them under different child development programmes. A total birth record can help in identifying and removing social disparities and problems like early marriage, child abuse, trafficking, etc., with strong hands.
For good governance, the birth record can be immensely helpful. It can check the practice of hiding age and help to bring discipline at every level including the enlistment of voters. By ensuring 100 per cent maintenance of birth records, we can expect a future where many irregularities would not be found. But to achieve it, a mechanism needs to be introduced in the hospital systems and field level activities in the rural areas to keep records of birth of all babies.
The government has to make the naming of all babies prior to birth registration mandatory. This will help the hospital authorities and other concerned in maintaining the records of the children after their birth. Under the present system, a birth is recorded and registered when a guardian takes initiative to include his or her baby's name in the official record or the government launches any area-based time-bound programme requiring proofs of birth records.
THE government should give importance to strictly maintaining birth records of all children. A UNICEF report says that only seven per cent newborn children (260,000) usually come annually under the existing birth registration net of the government. But the rest -- more than 3.0 million children-remain outside the government record every year.
Keeping birth records of children is important not only to make them visible but also to formulate a sound plan for bringing them under different child development programmes. A total birth record can help in identifying and removing social disparities and problems like early marriage, child abuse, trafficking, etc., with strong hands.
For good governance, the birth record can be immensely helpful. It can check the practice of hiding age and help to bring discipline at every level including the enlistment of voters. By ensuring 100 per cent maintenance of birth records, we can expect a future where many irregularities would not be found. But to achieve it, a mechanism needs to be introduced in the hospital systems and field level activities in the rural areas to keep records of birth of all babies.
The government has to make the naming of all babies prior to birth registration mandatory. This will help the hospital authorities and other concerned in maintaining the records of the children after their birth. Under the present system, a birth is recorded and registered when a guardian takes initiative to include his or her baby's name in the official record or the government launches any area-based time-bound programme requiring proofs of birth records.