Windhoek: Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Lucia Iipumbu has urged parents to register their newborns while still in hospital, to ensure every child's right to a legal identity.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Iipumbu made this call at the relaunch of the RightStart programme, which is aimed at promoting nurturing care and integrated early childhood development. The event, held in Windhoek, highlighted the critical importance of timely birth registration to address delays in naming and registering newborns.

Iipumbu noted that the ministry has established 25 hospital-based offices to facilitate immediate birth registration before a mother is discharged. She explained that customs and circumstances such as absent or deceased fathers often result in mothers leaving hospitals without registering their child's birth.

The minister emphasized that unregistered children face significant barriers in accessing essential services, such as education and healthcare, and are at risk of becoming stateless, existing outside the state's legal protection. She reassured that the current systems allow for the mother's registration of the birth immediately, with the father's details added later if necessary.

Iipumbu revealed that from February to July 2024, the ministry conducted a mobile mass registration campaign, assisting over 110,000 Namibians, many of whom were children in need of birth certificates. This year, the ministry has initiated another campaign focusing on San communities, with plans to extend efforts to Ovatjimba and Ovatue communities in the next financial year.

The minister urged parents and guardians not to leave any birth facility without registering their child, stressing that no child should be denied registration due to delays in naming or the father's absence. Every child, she stated, has the right to a name, nationality, and recognition by their country.