WVG registers 3,165 vulnerable children to obtain birth certificates
The Sekyere East Cluster of World Vision Ghana (WVG) has funded the birth registration of over 3,165 children from poor and vulnerable homes in communities in the Asante Akim North and Sekyere East Districts of Ashanti.
Mr Joseph Kwogyenga, the Cluster Manager, said the registration exercise which is being implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Birth and Deaths Registry, is to help provide accurate, reliable and timely information of all births in rural communities and also help parents with the actual date of birth of their children.
He said all children between the ages of one (1) to 18 years, who had no birth certificates, were being registered free of charge in the 22 project communities in the two beneficiary districts.
Mr Kwogyenga made this known at a birth registration and distribution exercise at Bomso in the Sekyere East District.
He said the move is in line with the United Nation’s (UN) Convention on the Right of the Child which places emphasis on the need and right of every child to own a birth certificate.
“The mass birth certificate registration exercise by WVG sought not only to strengthen child protection systems, laws and policies in Ghana, but to help support the evidence based on the accurate age and details of the child, especially in the legal responses to the abuse and violence against children”, he said.
The Cluster Manager said as part of the project, WVG was creating awareness and sensitizing to the people in the communities on the need to register and obtain certificates.
The exercise is also to help clear the doubts and misconceptions some parents have with regards to birth certificate registration.
Mr Kwogyenga said the acquisition of a birth certificate opens up the world of opportunities for a child to access quality healthcare, education and most importantly helps to provide inheritance whilst also creating a permanent record of existence.
Children with birth certificates could also be protected against various forms of violence such as child labour, child marriage, child trafficking and other abuses.
Mr Kwabena Fosu, the Integrated Development Facilitator of the Sekyere East Cluster of WVG, said the birth certificate registration exercise started in October and 6,000 vulnerable children who were receiving support from WVG in the two districts, would be registered.
Mr Kwame Antwi, a Birth and Death Registration Officer at the Sekyere East District, commended WVG and urged the government and other developmental partners to join the effort in supporting vulnerable families in the country to access birth certificates.
Source: GNA