HUMFRIEH’s Civil Status Rights Sensitization and Birth Registration Outreach
Over the last few months between October and December 2022, the dedicated HUMFRIEH team, in collaboration with the Tiko Council Civil Status office, undertook a crucial mission across more than ten villages and a number of communities within the Tiko Municipality and its surrounding waterside areas. This extensive outreach covered villages such as Missellele, Misaka, Likomba, Ombe, Mudeka, Moquo, Mongo Mainland and Island, Mondoni, and Bonganjo, as well as the creeks including Mangasamba, Big Mukuta, Ngombe I and II, French Kombo, Big Kombo, and Kaisa Kombo. The team also engaged with residents of churches, mosques, and various quarters within the urban area of Tiko.
Why We Did This
You might ask, why take all that time and energy to roam so many places? The answer is simple but powerful: we wanted to make sure everyone knows about their civil status rights — basically, the rights children and adults have to be legally recognized by their government. That means having a birth certificate.
Why does this matter? Because without a birth certificate, a child can grow up “invisible” in the eyes of the law. No school enrollment, limited access to healthcare, and greater risk of exploitation. These are real, heavy challenges that too many families face, especially in remote or underserved communities.
Sensitizing Communities on Civil Status Rights
At the heart of this outreach was a series of consultative talks aimed at raising awareness about civil status rights for both children and adults. Many community members, especially those in rural and remote areas, often face obstacles due to lack of information on the importance and processes of birth registration. By partnering with local leaders and the Tiko Council, HUMFRIEH’s mobilizers worked to break down myths and barriers, making the community aware that every individual has the fundamental right to a legal identity and a birth certificate.
Facilitating Birth Certificate Registrations
Alongside sensitization, active mobilization efforts enabled the facilitation of birth registrations during these visits. Though registration during this period resulted in 8 immediate birth certificates issued, the impact was even broader, as several additional registrations followed. These efforts contribute toward bridging registration gaps that exist due to geographical isolation, lack of mobility, and administrative hurdles.
Why This Matters
A birth certificate is not just a document; it is the key to unlocking a lifetime of rights and opportunities. In Cameroon, an estimated millions of children and adults remain undocumented, which hinders access to vital services. The absence of birth certificates can lead to:
Barriers to Education: Children without birth certificates often cannot enroll in school or sit for national examinations, resulting in lost years of schooling.
Limited Healthcare Access: Without official documentation, accessing medical care and immunizations becomes challenging.
Risk of Exploitation: Unregistered children and adults are more vulnerable to child labor, trafficking, early marriage, and other violations.
Lack of Legal Protection: Birth certificates provide proof of identity, citizenship, and parentage, protecting individuals’ rights in legal and social matters.
HUMFRIEH’s Commitment to Inclusive Civil Registration
This outreach initiative reflects HUMFRIEH’s broader commitment to promoting health, legal rights, and social welfare for all, regardless of location or circumstance. By reaching remote and marginalized communities, HUMFRIEH actively works toward ensuring that every person’s right to legal identity is realized, strengthening the foundation for equitable access to education, healthcare, and social protections.
Building a Future of Dignity and Opportunity
The impact of these sensitization and registration efforts goes beyond numbers: it restores dignity, offers security, and empowers individuals and families to participate fully in society. HUMFRIEH encourages communities to seize the opportunity to register births timely and urges local authorities and partners to scale up efforts to reach every corner of the municipality.
Together, through continuous education, collaboration, and outreach, we can ensure legal identity for all—because without a name and a certificate, one truly does not exist in the eyes of the law and society.
For more information on our civil registration programs and how to support our outreach work, please visit https://humfrieh.org/.
