At the heart of demographic challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the crucial issue of birth registration. At a recent workshop in Kinshasa, child protection and population identification specialists stressed the strategic importance of strengthening communication to increase the birth registration rate in the country, currently set at 40%.
Massamba Diouf, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, highlighted the need for increased awareness to improve this rate and thus achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He thus underscored the fundamental role of communication in this approach, highlighting the challenges to be overcome to increase this registration, which is vital for the identification of individuals and access to social services.
For his part, Belly Lunanga, as Division Chief and National Focal Point for Civil Registration, stressed the importance of the State taking charge of population registration and identification operations. He stressed the need for adequate financial and technical support to ensure the production of registers and other essential documents, highlighting the inseparable link between civil status registration and the legal identity of individuals.
The legal expert from the National Office for Population Identification also shed light on the General Population File, emphasizing its central role as a single reference for the identification of individuals. She highlighted the interoperability between the civil status system and the FGP, emphasizing that these two entities complement each other to ensure reliable and secure identification of the population.
Indeed, the civil status registration system feeds the General Population File with essential data such as births, deaths, and marriages. This interaction between the two systems helps ensure effective management of the population’s identity, a key issue for the development and security of individuals.
This in-depth reflection on birth registration and population identification in the DRC is part of a broader approach aimed at strengthening the links between civil registration systems, associated statistics and the legal identity system. It highlights the crucial importance of the digital transformation of services to ensure effective registration and optimal management of individuals’ identities.
In conclusion, this workshop highlighted the challenges and opportunities related to birth registration in the DRC, highlighting the imperative to strengthen awareness and communication to ensure a higher registration rateThe issue goes far beyond statistical figures; it concerns the identity and protection of individuals, essential elements for building an inclusive and equitable society.