17. Noting that children in vulnerable situations are subjected to discrimination that persists throughout their life course and that perpetuates high rates of poverty, illiteracy, adolescent pregnancy and violence, the Committee, recalling target 10.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, recommends that the State party take all measures, including policy, legislative and awareness-raising measures, necessary to prevent and combat discrimination against children from economically disadvantaged families, girls, children with disabilities, children from rural and remote areas and other children in vulnerable situations and ensure access for such children to birth registration and high quality health care, education and all basic social services, transport, clean water and sanitation, with particular attention given to Principe island.
23. The Committee, recalling target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Committee’s previous recommendations,8 urges the State party:
(a) To ensure and promote universal and free birth registration, with particular attention given to the poorest families, rural and remote areas and children born to unmarried parents and in unattended births;
(b) To ensure that birth registration, which can be done by either of the child’s parents, includes the parents’ full details and that the marital status of the parents is not an impediment to registration;
(c) To ensure that a birth certificate is provided free of charge for every registered birth and that children who do not hold a birth certificate can gain access to education and all other necessary social services;
(d) To abolish fees for late birth registration and review the legislation, including decree No. 31/GM-MJDH/2018 accordingly;
(e) To consider ratifying the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Birth registration
International Instruments