WOMEN’S SECRETARIAT TAKES BIRTH REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN TO BWARI
By: Dominic Idio
The Women Affairs Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has commenced free Birth Registration exercise for children in Bwari Area Council, as part of ongoing strategic campaign to step-up birth registration awareness at the grassroot of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Social Birth Registration exercise which is supported by UNICEF and other development partners seeks to create awareness and boost birth registration of children aged 0-1 year and 1-5 years, all for free of any charge.
Explaining the relevance of the Birth Registration exercise at the Palace of Sarkin Bwari, Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, represented by Director of Child Development Department of Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Idris Yahaya Attah, said the campaign is part of Renewed Hope Initiative, to ensure that every child in FCT is registered at birth and captured for proper planning, budgeting and inclusion in the agenda of governance.
“We know that in the distant past, there was no birth registration for children in Nigeria, leaving most of our elders unaware of their exact date of birth. But today, as technology advances, we are creating awareness to reverse such a trend, because we are still having low birth registration rate in the Federal Capital Territory and in Nigeria at large.
“Through the support of UNICEF and other development partners here with us, we have trained volunteers, and we have formed community-based clusters of these trained personnel. Therfore, on behalf of the Pioneer Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, we are here to flag-off free birth registration for children in Bwari.
“The exercise is instant with issuance of Birth Certificate, fully digital and entirely free. We therefor implore the support of our revered royal fathers here, so that this exercise continues sustainably after today”, Dr. Idris said.
Representative of UNICEF, Mrs. Phydelia Abbas, highlighted the benefits of the Birth Registration exercise, saying that it is the first step of ensuring that the rights of children are secured. Her words, “It is an honour to join you today, as we commence the Social Mobilisation of Birth Registration Campaign for Bwari Area Council. This exercise is more than a legal formality, it is the first step in securing the rights and identity of every child that is born, because it gives access to essential services.
“We recognise your partnership as royal fathers, because you are influential leaders in your various communities, and your voices are vital in creating awareness to mobilize families and ensure that no child is left behind. This is necessary, because an unregistered child is invisible in the scheme of governance”, Mrs Abbas emphasized.
At the palace of the Etsu of Bwari, the mobilisation train was received with commendation to the FCT Administration for creating awareness and ensuring that the exercise is free of charge. Mothers were seen trooping out in their numbers for instant birth registration of their children.
The Social Mobilisation Birth Registration Campaign is carried out in collaboration with UNICEF Nigeria, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Nigeria Population Commission (NPC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
