UNICEF Ghana has issued a rallying call for collective action to modernize the country’s birth registration system, describing it as vital to protecting every child’s legal identity and access to essential services.
Speaking in an interview, UNICEF Representative Osama Makkawi Khogali urged all actors in the civil registration ecosystem to work together toward a more inclusive and efficient process.
“I am calling for all stakeholders to come together and review the system itself. We can learn from other country experiences on how we can simplify the birth registration system in Ghana.”
Khogali emphasized that his approach was not prescriptive but collaborative, noting that with focused attention and dialogue, a solution is achievable.
“We need to give it a bit of the attention it requires, and I am sure hundred percent sure we will come up with a very doable solution and a more efficient way to carry out the registration.”
Despite significant improvements in Ghana’s civil registration framework, especially through digitization and outreach programs, UNICEF reports that a sizable proportion of children, particularly in rural and underserved communities, remain unregistered at birth.
This gap poses long-term risks to accessing education, healthcare, and protection under the law.
