WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday called on all parents to register their children for birth as the process is critical for the fulfillment of national development goals.

The announcement was made in a media statement availed to Nampa by Ministry of Home Affairs Public Relations Officer Salome Kambala on Wednesday.

The statement said, registration of birth is important for assessing services such education, health and welfare services.

¨Birth registration gives a child an identity, nationality and family relations and also helps to safe guard the child´s human rights,¨ the statement read.
It continued to say that, children are required to produce a birth certificate for school enrollment adding that it is also necessary for a person to engage in society and to receive benefits.

The statement further read that most Namibian citizens are ignorant and are not aware that a birth certificate is a gateway to participation to democratic processes, enabling a person to vote in elections and to stand for office.
¨Namibians may also use it to qualify to receive certain state benefits such as the universal pension for people aged 60 and above as well as for child welfare grants,¨ the ministry said.

In September 2010, over 118 000 children benefited from child welfare grants which is approximately 80 per cent of the estimated 155 000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).

¨The scale up of child welfare grants is due in part to the improved availability of birth registration certificates,¨ the ministry said.