Despite state-lead efforts to modernise registration in the country, Côte d’Ivoire still counts a concerning 2.8million unregistered children – children who have no legal existence, and therefore have no right to education or health, and who often fall prey to the worst forms of labour abuse and human trafficking. 

Workshop participants were able not only to learn more about how to use UN-mechanisms to address low rates of birth registration, but also came together to suggest an action plan to better follow-up on the UN’s recommendations regarding birth registration. These suggestions included raising awareness in remote communities using local languages, encouraging midwives to register births, making birth registration legally obligatory, and establishing a national strategic plan on civil registration.    

FI believes that through initiatives like this one, the open dialogue between state representatives, civil society, NGOs, and human rights experts continues to move countries forward in better follow-up on UN-recommendations so as to make a tangible step forward in the eradication of serious human rights abuses in vulnerable and marginalised communities.