http://blog.firelightfoundation.org/2010/03/18/a-certificate-to-life/ Firelight Foundation Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://blog.firelightfoundation.org/2010/03/18/a-certificate-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-325 Sitabiso Cotton Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:08:16 +0000 http://blog.firelightfoundation.org/?p=313#comment-325 The account of Tujikomboe is very encouraging. We, with the Sethule Trust, working in the Natisa community in Matopos, Zimbabwe, counted and characterized over only 2 days 530 orphans (in a population of only c.6000 people). We were alarmed to discover that less than 25% of these orphans possess birth certificates. With no parents living, access to relatives to act as witnesses difficult, distances great, witnesses often themselves without proper documentation, absence of records of parental deaths, as well as near-total ignorance on the vital value of a birth certificate, we realize the need to LOBBY TO CHANGE THE RULES. Many folk have done sterling work encouraging people to register their children, but a Birth Certificate is, according to Article 7 of the Convention on Rights of the Child, an undeniable Human Right. It therefore should be obtainable without cost, without bureaucratic hurdles, without reference to unobtainable data. As a Human Right, a child should be able to say, "I exist, so give me a Birth Certificate". Where details are unknown, the affidavit of the local chief, counsellor, certified social worker, humanitarian official etc. should suffice. Who can help us interact with UNICEF, Plan International, World Vision and others in making this a reality? There are over 18 million children in sub-saharan Africa without Birth Certificates: many of the parents of these children are dying off from HIV or other (usually) preventable illnesses, taking their family information to the grave. The problem is urgent!! Let us act now...!! The account of Tujikomboe is very encouraging. We, with the Sethule Trust, working in the Natisa community in Matopos, Zimbabwe, counted and characterized over only 2 days 530 orphans (in a population of only c.6000 people). We were alarmed to discover that less than 25% of these orphans possess birth certificates. With no parents living, access to relatives to act as witnesses difficult, distances great, witnesses often themselves without proper documentation, absence of records of parental deaths, as well as near-total ignorance on the vital value of a birth certificate, we realize the need to LOBBY TO CHANGE THE RULES. Many folk have done sterling work encouraging people to register their children, but a Birth Certificate is, according to Article 7 of the Convention on Rights of the Child, an undeniable Human Right. It therefore should be obtainable without cost, without bureaucratic hurdles, without reference to unobtainable data. As a Human Right, a child should be able to say, “I exist, so give me a Birth Certificate”. Where details are unknown, the affidavit of the local chief, counsellor, certified social worker, humanitarian official etc. should suffice.
Who can help us interact with UNICEF, Plan International, World Vision and others in making this a reality? There are over 18 million children in sub-saharan Africa without Birth Certificates: many of the parents of these children are dying off from HIV or other (usually) preventable illnesses, taking their family information to the grave. The problem is urgent!!
Let us act now…!!

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