By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
First lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has changed the narrative of child birth registration by initiating a collective effort to ensure that every Nigerian child is recognized and legally registered at birth via the Renewed Hope initiative Project.
Sen. Remi Tinubu who officially launched the Renewed Hope Project Initiative on Thursday in Abuja with the support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is aimed at accelerating and scaling up birth registration services to capture the birth of every child across Nigeria.
Sen. Tinubu said,”Our children, the treasure of our nation, must have their rights and privileges guaranteed from the very beginning.”
According to the First Lady, “A well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics system is essential to safeguarding these rights and ensuring that no violation goes unnoticed.”
UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, at the launch, expressed gratitude for the government’s commitment to extending birth registration services, especially in rural and underprivileged areas.
“The development and rollout of the digital eCRVS system are examples of what we can accomplish when we unite our strengths and resources”,Munduate stated.
“These achievements have not only increased birth registration rates but have also laid a strong foundation for the future.”
Munduate explained that in 2023, over 11.5 million under five children were successful in Nigeria, with support from UNICEF and other partners.
The UNICEF boss acknowledged that challenges remain in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which aims to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.
“To reach this target, we must strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of the National Population Commission, NPopC and CRVS partners, support the digitalization of birth registration processes, and ensure adequate financial resources are allocated.”
The Chairman, National Population Commission, NPopC,Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, said, “As the National Population Commission, we are fully committed to ensuring that every child in Nigeria is registered at birth. The launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative marks a significant step forward in this mission.”
By accelerating birth registration, we are not only fulfilling a legal obligation but also laying the foundation for every child’s access to essential services and their rightful place in society. Together, we will ensure that no child is left behind, and every child in Nigeria is given the recognition and opportunities they deserve.”
Other stakeholders like the traditional and religious leaders, women’s organizations, and community influencers were urged to engage in public awareness and collective action towards acceleration of birth registration in their domains.
The birth registration services under the Renewed Hope Initiative Project is an important factor to ensure every kid in Nigeria is
registered and accounted for is the National CRVS Coordination Committee, Hon. Kwarra said.
The collective effort of the Renewed Hope Initiative, UNICEF, NPopC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Identity Management Commission, and Barnksforte Technologies Limited, aims to ensure that every child has a legal identity, rights and opportunity to grow.
