Birth registration is a fundamental human right and a critical instrument to ensure the protection of a child’s right to an identity that would assure future equity in accessing services meant for citizens.

Despite the advantages associated with childbirth registration, a 2018 Zambia Demographic Health Survey indicates that birth registration levels in Zambia are low due to poor attitudes towards childbirth registration, financial challenges, and an inadequate workforce at registration centres, among other reasons. The survey found that only 14.2% of children under five years have registered births, with 6.6% having birth certificates. These low rates of child registration and birth certificates infringe on their fundamental human rights, which are supposed to be facilitated by parents. 

With financial support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), CIDRZ’s Empowered Children and Adolescents (ECAP) III project has been supporting program beneficiaries to promote access to birth certification of children regardless of their status. This has been done in collaboration with the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship office. 

A 42-year-old mother, and beneficiary of the programme, Mwaka Tembo (Not her real name), shared how long she attempted to apply for birth certificates but to no avail. She also narrated how in the process, caregivers lost documents, which she described as a serious concern. 

“I was enrolled in 2021 on the ECAP III project in Chilanga District under the people living with HIV sub-population. My Household was screened and assessed; four of my children and my husband were eligible for support.” Said Ms Mwaka

An ECAP III vulnerability assessment also found that the family’s children lacked birth certificates, among other things. This prompted the ECAP Team to support this mother with the birth registration process. Ms Mwaka’s case is just but one of the many parents who have benefited from the ECAP III project and who have since had their children’s birth certificates issued. 

 “We are grateful as a family to be part of this project and to benefit from it in the way we have. Things have never been the same since we started receiving support from the ECAP III project. I am happy that my children now have legal identities and birth certificates,” Ms Mwaka happily re-counted.

The ECAP III project has continued working with different sectors of the Zambian government and other national, provincial, district and community stakeholders to improve the social and health outcomes of vulnerable households in high-HIV burden districts of Lusaka and Eastern provinces. 

These interventions are aimed at mitigating the impact of HIV and improving the health and well-being of vulnerable children and adolescents, especially those living with or at high risk of HIV.