1. Mobile Registration and Education as Solutions to Low Birth Registration Rates in Nigeria December 2012 Amy McCarty & Sanchit Waray 94-812 | Technology for International Development

2. Overview Scope of the problem Birth registration - What & Why Registration in Nigeria Barriers to registration Technology solutions Education campaign Conclusion

3. A fundamental right

4. "To make people count, we first need to be able to count people” Dr. Lee Jong-Wook, Director General of the World Health Organization in 2003 “The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.” 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Article 7

5. And yet,...50 million births each year are not registered...in Africa 2 out of 3 children are not registered...in Nigeria 70% of the ~5 million born each year are not registered

6. The actual situation

7. Comparison

8. What is birth registration? ''the official recording of the birth of a child through an administrative process of the state and is coordinated by a particular branch of government. It is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence'' - UNICEF definition

9. Why register?

10. Registration Logistics o National Population Commission maintains vital statistics o Registered by a region’s official Registrar o Should occur within 60 days of birth o Can occur within 12 months with fees o Fees often waived for children under 18 years

11. Barriers to Registration Internationally -lack of priority and support - lack of actionable plans Nationally - lack of political will - lack of resource - various legal barriers Locally - lack of resources - fear of discrimination or persecution - difficulty in following registration procedures - lack of awareness and motivation

12. Difficulty following registration procedures & lack of motivation

13. Mobile Registration 11th in the world in cell phone usage 11th in the world in cell phone usageIndividuals - Resource intensive, limited reach, literacy issues Healthcare personnel - 66% are home births & 34% attended by skilled health personnel Religious officials - 89% attend religious services - Naming ceremonies common - Baptism law

14. Technology

15. EU-UNICEF Project $7.8 million for 8 countries o free registration o use digital techniques o mobile technology to register remotely o provide link between registration & health services

16. Non-profit Role

17. Education Campaign o Mobile phones are the most commonly used media platform and 61.3% of population is literate o Platform: audio clip education campaign, focusing on children's stories o Main issue: attaining subscribers

18. Conclusion Two unique solutions: o Involving non profit organizations and paying people for registration o Carrying out the process through the hands of religious leaders