By Beatrice Manka’a
Mayors in Cameroon are looking forward to digitizing the production of birth certificates, a call that has been stressed at an ongoing conference in Yaoundé aimed at improving children’s access to birth certificates.
The conference, which opened at the Yaoundé Conference Center on April 26, aims to curb a disturbing trend whereby over 1.4 million children in Cameroon are reported to have enrolled in school without birth certificates.
Statistics released this year revealed more than 3.3 million children in Cameroon lack birth certificates, and most of them are of school-going age.
The absence of this document has barred access to education for thousands of children in the country, with some unable to write crucial exams like the First School Leaving Certificate.
The Forum of Mayors on Universal Birth Registration in Cameroon is themed, “One child, one birth certificate, one identity.”
This significant event brought together Mayors from across the country to discuss the importance of birth registration and the role of digitization in streamlining the process.
While opening the conference, the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam, urged Mayors to take a proactive role in sensitizing parents about the necessity of obtaining a birth certificate for each child at birth.
He emphasized that Mayors must ensure every child is registered, thus safeguarding their rights and ensuring their access to essential services.
The call for action from the Minister follows a directive from Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute during the April cabinet meeting.
The PM challenged various government Ministries involved in civil status registration to expedite measures towards modernization.
The move towards digitalization aims to enhance the security and efficiency of birth certificate issuance.
“Digiitalization will make birth certificates more secure,” said Dadda Fadimatou Epse Aliou, Mayor of Mayo-Darlé, in the Adamawa Region, at the forum.
Mayors participating in the session echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that digitization would raise awareness among citizens about the importance of birth certificates.
Roger Tafam, Mayor of the city of Bafoussam, stated, “This forum will help us strengthen our actions and raise national awareness.”
The urgency of the matter is underscored by the alarming statistic that more than 1,400,000 children enrolled in schools across the country this year lack birth certificates.
Additionally, over 59,000 Class 6 pupils and their counterparts in the francophone sub-system are facing difficulties in registering for their end-of-course examinations due to the lack of proper documentation.
During the cabinet meeting with Joseph Dion Nguté, members evaluated the results of special operations aimed at providing birth certificates to pupils who were not registered at birth.
The need for swift and effective measures to address this issue was emphasized, highlighting the importance of the Forum of Mayors in driving progress in birth registration across Cameroon.
The government has also insisted that local Councils should not charge any fee for people who want to acquire birth certificates, a call that many civil status registrars are yet to adhere to.
