UNICEF urges governments to use schools to close global birth registration gaps

UNICEF has new operational guidance that calls on governments to leverage schools as a way to register millions of older children who still lack legal identity.

The organization says more than 200 million children under five worldwide still do not have a birth certificate. Millions more of primary‑school age remain unregistered, leaving them without legal identity and limiting access to health care, education, social protection and justice.

UNICEF argues that schools offer an overlooked but powerful entry point for reaching older children. Schools already collect key information during enrolment, exams and certification and this can act as a decentralized bridge between families and civil registration systems.

Accurate age data also helps education authorities plan classes, ensure age‑appropriate placement and improve inclusion. This base offers a strategic platform to achieve mass registration. The new guide outlines how school‑based registration can be used as a time‑bound strategy to clear backlogs of unregistered children aged 5–17.

Lacking birth certificates, schools will depend on unreliable proxies such as baptism records or self‑reported age, leading to age‑inappropriate placement. Weak integration between civil registration and education systems — often due to low digitalization — further complicates verification.

UNICEF’s guidance is built around four pillars: using schools to clear backlogs; reaching out‑of‑school children; strengthening integration between civil registration and education systems; and identifying the enablers needed for implementation across diverse country contexts.

As countries expand national ID systems and begin issuing unique identity numbers at birth, UNICEF says schools become a natural point of contact for registering older children and linking them to national identification. Coordinated efforts between civil registrars and national ID teams can accelerate progress. UNICEF also has guidance on designing DPI systems that work better for children.

School‑based registration should complement, not replace, routine civil registration systems, the organization cautions. Long‑term success depends on simplified procedures, clear legal mandates, digital integration and sustained community engagement.

Integrating civil registration and education systems can transform birth registration, the premise goes, so that a one‑off administrative act becomes part of a continuous lifecycle approach. Doing so ensures children are registered, visible in public systems, and able to access education and other essential services. This creates a “virtuous cycle” where identity enables education and education helps secure identity, UNICEF argues. The Operational Guide to Advancing Birth Registration through Schools can be found here.

Article Topics

birth registration  |  civil registration  |  legal identity  |  SDG 16.9  |  UNICEF