CRC\/C\/TGO\/CO\/3-4<\/p>\n
Birth registration<\/p>\n
39.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The Committee welcomes the efforts made by the State party to improve birth registration, including the adoption in 2009 of Act No. 2009-10 on the organization of the civil registry system. The Committee is however concerned that 50 per cent of children are not registered at birth, due, inter alia, to the insufficient number of birth registration centres in the country, the high cost of birth registration and the insufficient information provided to parents on the positive effects of birth registration. The Committee is even more concerned that children without birth certificates cannot obtain identity documents and access to education, and that a large number of them are not authorized to sit national end-of-year examinations in primary education.<\/p>\n
40.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The Committee urges the State party to ensure that all children are properly registered at birth and that birth registration is free and compulsory in practice. To this aim, the State party should:
\n(a)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Adopt the decrees and measures contained in the law on the organization of the civil registry system concerning birth registration, and provide adequate resources for its implementation;
\n(b)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Increase the number of birth registration facilities, including mobile birth registration units, at the local, community and village levels;
\n(c)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Urgently enforce the provisions of the law relating to the organization of the civil registry system in order to regulate and reduce the costs of birth certificates;
\n(d)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Conduct awareness-raising campaigns, with the active support of community leaders, to promote birth registration for all children; and
\n(e)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Guarantee that children without a birth certificate are not deprived of access to education, health care and other social services.<\/p>\n