Cameroon's fight to register every child: 1.5 million without birth certificates

In Cameroon, over 1.5 million children are enrolled in primary schools without birth certificates, a critical issue highlighted by UNICEF on July 5, 2026. This gap in legal identity poses severe risks to children's education and safety, prompting local authorities to take action.

Efforts to Improve Birth Registration in Cameroon

In 2024, Mayor Oumarou Sanda of Garoua 2 was recognized as Cameroon’s Citizenship Champion for leading initiatives to enhance birth registration. These efforts are part of a broader strategy supported by UNICEF and the Cameroonian government to address child protection gaps. Parents are required to register births within 90 days at no cost; however, many face bureaucratic challenges that complicate the process.

Aissatou Bouba, a mother from Garoua 2, shared her experience: “One of my eldest children was sent home years ago from school because we didn’t have his official papers.” This underscores the urgent need for accessible birth registration services.

Impact of Unregistered Births

According to the Ministry of Basic Education, around 30 percent of primary school pupils lack official birth certificates, which can hinder access to secondary education and public examinations. Anna Enanga epse Itoe, head of the civil status bureau at the Tiko Council, stated, “If a child stays without a birth certificate, the child will not have admission into secondary school.” Without documentation, children are also at risk of being untraceable and vulnerable to exploitation.

• 560,000 births recorded in health facilities in 2023
• Only 43.77% of those births were officially registered
• 1.5 million children are enrolled in primary school without birth certificates

Community Initiatives and Challenges

Following the first Mayors’ Forum on Birth Registration in April 2024, local authorities committed to improving civil registration. The “My Name” campaign was launched to identify and register children lacking legal documentation across all municipalities. Since its inception, over 17,000 children have been registered.

In Tiko, local officials have successfully brought registration services closer to remote communities. Enanga noted, “In Tiko, people are coming every day to register their children and obtain birth certificates.” However, barriers remain, particularly in rural areas where traditional beliefs may deter parents from registering their children.

“Children without documentation are harder to trace, monitor, or protect,” said Alexis Mayang, a UNICEF child protection specialist.

Despite the progress, many parents only engage with the registration system when faced with school admission issues. Efforts to change harmful norms, especially regarding girls' education, are ongoing, with traditional leaders increasingly involved in awareness campaigns.