Parents’ absence, vast distances impede birth registration in Kavango West

WINDHOEK, 08 NOV (NAMPA) - The absence of biological parents to confirm births and the limited awareness of the importance of national documents are among the factors hindering the registration of births in the Kavango West Region.
This has meant that many children born in the Kavango West Region are undocumented, Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson, Margaret Kalo has said.
Kalo was responding to the 2023 census report by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), which pointed out that close to half of children below four years old in the Kavango West Region lack birth certificates.
According to the report, 44.6 per cent of children aged 0-4 are undocumented.
Kalo said the long distances that people have to travel to get to registration points due to the vastness of the region, is another contributing factor. Prevailing cultural practices and customs which have made parents hesitant to register their children under their surnames when fathers are absent or in the case of paternity disputes, also contribute.
The spokesperson added that many children are cared for by extended family members who lack the documents necessary to register them.
To tackle the matter, the ministry has implemented measures to increase birth registration across all age categories. Besides regional offices, the ministry conducts annual outreach programmes for birth registration and ID applications.
“A mass registration campaign, held across all 14 regions from 05 February to 31 July, led to the issuance of 82 769 national documents, including birth certificates and identity cards. The ministry has also produced infomercials for radio and television in all local languages to raise awareness about birth registrations and children’s rights,” she said.
Kalo said feedback mechanisms, such as a feedback button on the ministry’s website, suggestion boxes, and social media platforms, have been introduced to enable citizens to share their experiences.
The ministry also affirmed that birth certificates are provided to all parents, including single parents, if they provide the necessary documents, including consent from the other parent.
(NAMPA)
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