Every Girl Should Count, 230 million – no birth certificates

Millions of girls in countries around the world do not have a birth certificate, which can prevent them from going to school, seeing a doctor, and getting a job. In fact, nearly 230 million children under age 5 have never been registered. Numbers count; so should girls. The Girls Count Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate in July and in the U.S. House of Representatives last October, supports programs in developing countries that improve birth registration. It also promotes policies that prevent discrimination against girls. Join Girl Up in helping make sure girls count.

It seems simple: girls should count, and yet millions of girls around the world have no birth certificate or weren’t registered at birth. In fact, nearly 230 million children under five have never been registered.

When a girl is denied a birth certificate, she becomes an invisible member of society. Lack of documentation can prevent a girl from going to school, getting a job later in life, and denies her access to health and social services.

There’s a solution to make sure more girls around the world – regardless of where they’re born – are counted just like everyone else: The Girls Count Act. We need your help to make sure this bill gets the support it deserves.

Take Action today and tell your Senate member to support the Girls Count Act.

You were born to be heard. So why are you whispering? We need your help getting the word out and social media is your megaphone. Encourage your friends and family to support the Girls Count Act by sharing these messages on Twitter and Facebook!

When a girl is denied a birth certificate, she becomes an invisible member of society.

Support the #GirlsCount Act: GirlUp.org/GirlsCount

Every year 51 million children under 5 aren’t registered at birth. RT if you believe #girlscount Girlup.org/GirlsCount

Facebook

What if you didn’t know when your birthday was? What if your government didn’t know you existed? What if you weren’t counted at all? This is a reality for millions of girls around the world. Here’s how you can take action with @GirlUp: Girlup.org/GirlsCount

When a girl is denied a birth certificate, she becomes an invisible member of society. Be an advocate for girls around the world so that they can go to school, have access to health services, vote, and be counted. Support the Girls Count Act with @GirlUp: Girlup.org/GirlsCount

How does advocacy work? Advocacy can be kinda confusing. Check out our infographic to learn how your actions will help girls count around the world.

Every year, the world keeps getting bigger and bigger. Today, our global population has reached a staggering 7 billion with no sign of slowing.

With more children entering this world every day, ensuring their protection becomes a challenging reality. In fact, 230 million children under the age of 5 have not had their births registered, and more than 100 developing countries do not have functioning systems that support efficient public birth registration.

That means millions of young children are living life without a birth certificate.

A record of life and a document to protect

Birth registration is crucial to the health, safety and well-being of every child. Children that go unregistered are at greater risk of exclusion. For example, in Vietnam, children need a birth certificate in order to access health care services or to enroll in school. In Kenya, children require a birth certificate to take national exams in school.

For every child, a birth certificate provides access to their essential human rights. It grants them with a personal identity, and it’s a child’s link to education, health care and protection from abuse and exploitation.

Global birth registration rates:

Latin American and Caribbean – 92%
Middle East and North Africa – 87%
Sub-Saharan Africa – 44%
South Asia – 39%
Source: UNICEF

When an emergency strikes, a birth certificate is all that matters. But without proof of identity, a child is invisible to the authorities. Therefore, unregistered children are at greater risk of abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect, especially during disaster or emergency. No birth certificate can even make it difficult for children to receive critical aid.