CRC\/C\/GHA\/CO\/3-5<\/p>\n
[pas disponible en francais]<\/p>\n
Concluding observations on the combined third to fifth periodic reports of Ghana<\/p>\n
Birth registration<\/p>\n
29. While noting the\u00a0 significant progress in improving birth registration coverage\u00a0 from 17 percent in\u00a0 2002\u00a0 to\u00a0 about\u00a0 58 percent in\u00a0 2014,\u00a0 the\u00a0 Committee\u00a0 reiterates\u00a0 its\u00a0 concerns (CRC\/C\/GHA\/CO\/2, para. 32) about the\u00a0 many challenges faced by the\u00a0 State party such\u00a0 as understaffing and inadequate funding and about the difficulties in ensuring, particularly, the birth\u00a0 registration\u00a0 of\u00a0 children\u00a0 in\u00a0 rural\u00a0 areas as\u00a0 well\u00a0 as of\u00a0 asylum-seeking\u00a0 and\u00a0 refugee
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
30. The\u00a0 Committee\u00a0 reiterates\u00a0 its\u00a0 previous\u00a0 recommendations\u00a0 (CRC\/C\/GHA\/CO\/2, para. 32) and recommends that the State party:
\n(a) Implement the recommendations of the \u201cBirth Registration bottleneck analysis\u201d;
\n(b) Enter\u00a0 into\u00a0 a\u00a0 formal\u00a0 partnership\u00a0 and\u00a0 collaboration\u00a0 agreement\u00a0 between the Birth and Death Registry and the Ghana Health Service;
\n(c) Allocate\u00a0 sufficient\u00a0 funds\u00a0 for\u00a0 the\u00a0 strengthening\u00a0 of\u00a0 birth\u00a0 registration initiatives;
\n(d) Extend\u00a0 free\u00a0 birth\u00a0 registration\u00a0 and\u00a0 issuance\u00a0 of\u00a0 certificates\u00a0 for,\u00a0 at\u00a0 least, children under five years of age;
\n(e) Strengthen\u00a0 and\u00a0 expand\u00a0 mobile\u00a0 birth\u00a0 registration\u00a0 to\u00a0 reach\u00a0 universal coverage, particularly, for registration of children in rural areas, asylum-seeking and refugee children, and those who have never been registered;
\n(f) Amend\u00a0 the\u00a0\u00a0 Refugee\u00a0\u00a0 Law\u00a0 (1992)\u00a0\u00a0 to\u00a0\u00a0 ensure\u00a0\u00a0 that\u00a0\u00a0 recognized\u00a0\u00a0 refugee children born outside the State party can be issued with substitute birth certificates;
\n(g) Increase\u00a0 public\u00a0 awareness\u00a0 about\u00a0 the\u00a0 importance\u00a0 of\u00a0 birth\u00a0 registration and the process by which children are registered.<\/p>\n
Nationality<\/p>\n
31. While\u00a0 welcoming the\u00a0 additional\u00a0 information provided by the\u00a0 State party during the dialogue, the Committee is concerned that nationality at birth is not granted to children born on the territory of the State party who would otherwise be stateless.<\/p>\n
32. The Committee recommends that the State party:
\n(a) Review the 2000 Ghanaian Citizenship Act and other relevant legislation relating\u00a0 to\u00a0 nationality\u00a0 to\u00a0 bring\u00a0 them\u00a0 into\u00a0 line\u00a0 with\u00a0 international\u00a0 standards\u00a0 on prevention, reduction and protection of stateless children;
\n(b) Conduct\u00a0 a\u00a0 statelessness\u00a0 mapping\u00a0 study\u00a0 in\u00a0 order\u00a0 to\u00a0 better\u00a0 prevent\u00a0 and address the protection of stateless children or children at risk of statelessness;
\n(c) Consider\u00a0 acceding to\u00a0 the\u00a0 1954\u00a0 Convention\u00a0 relating\u00a0 to\u00a0 the\u00a0 Status\u00a0 of Statelessness Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.<\/p>\n