Angelique Kidjo Wants Better Birth Registration In Benin

UNICEF ambassador Angélique Kidjo recently visited her home country of Benin to advocate for improvements to the birth registration system.

Many children in Benin are denied the right to a legal identity, excluding them from basic services and leaving them open to exploitation and abuse.

“Each child deserves a birth certificate that will pave the way for his education, for a brighter future, and protect him against child trafficking,” she said. “When a child does not have a birth certificate, his future is jeopardized. He is like a ghost. Our responsibility as parents, caregivers and states is to make sure that each child has a right to legal identity.”

“Many bottlenecks still affect the birth registration process,” added Anne Vincent, UNICEF Representative in Benin. “We should therefore work hand-in-hand with the Government to improve the birth registration system. And UNICEF will support a national campaign to make sure that each family is aware of the importance of the birth certificate.”

To read a full account of Kidjo’s visit, click here.