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May 10, 2009

Free Birth Certificates For All !

The BBC reports that Burkina Faso is investing £3.3m in providing free birth certificates for over 5 million people.

Brilliant. Many people can't afford the 50p to buy their birth certificates. As one woman comments:

"If you have to choose between a meal and a birth certificate you are going to choose food, it just makes sense."

You need a birth certificate to exist officially. Without one it is hard to be registered for school or medical treatment, or to get an identity card, which is compulsory. Without an identity card, you can't vote, it's difficult to get a job or have any official business, and you can't even travel without fear of arrest or a fine.

We have often helped friends get their birth certificates and identity cards sorted out. Without them, people end up marginalised, vulnerable to abuse, and in fear of contact with authorities. Rather than participating in and shaping society, they skirt round the outside of it. I have seen people jump out of bush taxis to avoid police checks.

Birth certificates aren't the whole answer, but - especially combined with education - can contribute to the building of an inclusive society where people have a sense of identity, role, and status. I'm really pleased at this.

Well done Burkina Faso!

Posted by Keith at May 10, 2009 10:21 AM