Lack of documents deny children access to social benefits

The lack of an identity document (ID) or birth certificate has denied many Mozambican children access to social services. Eighteen-year-old Manuel Fernando is one of them. Like many youths in Mozambique, his life has been a struggle from birth. And, like many other children, the basic right of receiving a birth certificate has been denied him. His mother did not register his birth during the first 30 days of his life, during which time registration is free, and now she cannot afford to pay the 50,000 Meticais (about US $2) charge imposed after the 30-day limit. The little money Fernando makes selling baskets on the streets from 7 am until 4 pm, he uses to pay for his schooling at night and to supplement his mother's income. His father abandoned the family when he and his brother were still very young. Fernando's main concern is how he will enter this year's exams. Until his current grade, the 5th, he was able to go to school without an ID. But to take the exams at the end of this year he needs an ID document - which he can only receive after registering his birth. The lack of an ID has also landed him trouble with the police. He was recently detained as he returned home from school. "They wanted to see my ID. I said that I was on my way home but, although I had school books, the police did not believe me," said Fernando. "The problem is that lots of boys hanging out in the street, who are getting up to no good, carry school books so that they can lie to the police that they are returning from school. The police took me to the police station to phone the school to check," he added. Luckily one of the teachers was still at the school and confirmed he was a student. Fernando is just one of hundreds of thousands of children who were not registered at birth. From 2000 to 2002 the number of people registering increased from 145,000 to 444,000 per year, of whom 70 percent to 80 percent were children, according to the National Directorate of Registration and Notary. Considering that an estimated 765,000 babies are born each year, it appears that the majority of new-borns are still not being registered, despite the significant progress. Just over three months ago, on 16 June, the Day of the African Child, it was announced that this year would be dedicated to the promotion of birth registration. "Registering your child opens doors to other basic rights, including health and education. And all laws concerning child protection are linked to age," said Michael Klaus, a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) spokesman. In Mozambique, legal age limits for employment and military service can only be enforced if the birth date of a child has been notified officially. "If a child does not have a birth certificate, he or she cannot prove his or her age and, thus, lacks the most basic protection against abuse," Klaus said. Mozambique recently ratified Convention 182 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) against the worst forms of child labour. This presents a considerable challenge, as the Institute of National Statistics estimates that one million children below the age of 14 are commercially exploited, preventing them from going to school. Working conditions are sometimes so harsh that it is detrimental to their health. Klaus said one of the most vulnerable groups in Mozambique was the estimated 300,000 children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. There was an even greater urgency for them to have ID documents, not only to help prevent them from being abused, but the documentation was also crucial to assuring they inherited their parents' property. Klaus pointed out that UNICEF had been encouraged by developments during the past three months following the announcement on the Day of the African Child. He noted that the government had finalised a plan of action, although a more effective birth registration process, with the support of UNICEF and NGOs, had yet to be developed. The government had also agreed to a two-year suspension of the 50,000 Meticais penalty for late registration of births. Apart from being too costly for most Mozambicans, the 30-day limit was not culturally sensitive because, traditionally, many women were not allowed out of the house until a month after giving birth. The overall aim would be to simplify and decentralise birth registration, so that it was accessible to the majority of the population, who were poor, not well educated and lived in remote rural homesteads far from registration offices. Certain requirements, for example that forms should be filled in with a black pen, were likely to be relaxed. The plan would probably include the use of health workers in mobile units, who could register babies when they vaccinated them. In the registration of older children, priority would be given to disadvantaged groups, such as those working on the street, like Fernando; children orphaned by HIV/AIDS; and those from displaced families. The government was also developing information campaigns on the importance of birth registration. Fernando said he had not heard about the birth registration campaign yet, and was doubtful whether he would get his ID in time for his exams next month. Despite this, he said he would fight to continue his education and pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.