Govt set to digitise birth records in province

The project will provide enhanced access to the child birth registration service

LAHORE: The Local Government and Community Development Department (LG&CDD) launched a Digital Birth Registration (DBR) Cell at the Local Government Complex on Thursday.

The project was launched in collaboration with UNICEF and a private telecommunication company. The event celebrated a partnership established to achieve universal birth registration for children in Punjab.

Special Secretary Local Government and Community Development Shahid Nasir Raja and UNICEF Country Representative for Pakistan, Angela Kearney, formally launched the DBR Cell which hosted live data flows of birth registration applications for children in Pakpattan and Bahawalpur districts. Under the project, enhanced access to the birth registration service in target districts will be facilitated, primarily through leveraging the use of digital mobile phone technology. Initially, the intervention will be implemented in Pakpattan and Bahawalpur districts in 2017 and will be replicated in eight additional districts during 2018. These areas have been identified by the Punjab government as demonstrating the lowest birth registration rates for children in the province.



In their messages from China, Minister for LG&CD Manshaullah Butt and department Secretary Muhammad Aslam hoped the local government would be able to introduce the technology across Punjab. The department will also be able to make a visible increase in birth registration ratio in Punjab and meet SDG goals by the year 2030.



Speaking on this occasion, Angela said the right of the child to birth registration was absolutely fundamental. She added a birth registration certificate was regarded by UNICEF as a passport to protection for all children across the globe.

“We congratulate the government of Punjab for prioritising the registration of children’s births across the province as a development priority, particularly for those left behind and excluded,” she added.

The technical contribution of the telecommunication firm was also acknowledged for its support in ensuring effective, efficient and transparent birth registration service delivery at the sub-national level.

Punjab has the highest birth registration rate for children under five years of age in Pakistan. Currently standing at 77%, the goal of achieving universal birth registration of all children in the province by 2024 is very much attainable.

LG&CD Special Secretary Shahid Nasir Raja thanked UNICEF for its technical support to the department. He said the government was committed to reaching the goal of universal birth registration for children aged 17 years and under in target districts of the province before the end of 2024.



“Child Digitisation is one of the top most priorities of our government for the enhanced provision of accessible and efficient services to its citizens,” he said.

LG&CD Director General Mehmood Javed Bhatti congratulated the entire team for taking concrete steps for enhanced access to children as well as improving service delivery standards in a transparent and accountable manner.

He voiced hope that this association between LG&CD and UNICEF would continue in future as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2017.