SLGA to be amended to make birth registration mandatory: CS

The Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) is going to be amended to make birth registration mandatory, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah announced during a meeting he chaired on Wednesday.

Shah emphasised the critical role of birth registration in ensuring children’s rights, and their access to vital services such as immunisation, education and health care. He highlighted that earlier steps had been taken to simplify the birth registration process by making the service free of charge. He said that this initiative aims to remove financial barriers and ensure that underprivileged communities can easily access birth registration services.

The provincial government’s proactive approach is expected to accelerate the registration process, particularly in remote and rural areas, where registration rates have historically been low, he added.

He stressed that protecting children’s rights, ensuring their prosperity and securing a safe childhood are fundamental responsibilities of the state. He reiterated that birth registration is vital to granting children a legal identity, which is essential for securing their rights and accessing government welfare programmes.

The meeting was informed that the responsibility for birth, marriage, divorce and death registration lies with the LG department under the SLGA 2013. Shah said that efforts are under way to improve coordination between the LG department and NADRA to ensure an efficient, fully digitised data entry system for birth registrations. This digital transformation will enhance accuracy, streamline processes and ensure that records are updated in real-time, he added.

He said data for birth registration would be collected from public and private hospitals, lady health workers and other relevant sources to ensure comprehensive documentation of births.

He also said that a comprehensive awareness campaign would be launched to educate families, particularly in marginalised communities, about the importance of birth registration. Collaboration with health centres, schools and local authorities will be crucial in encouraging parents to register their children promptly, he added.

The CS said the government believes that ensuring every child is registered would not only benefit individual families but also improve provincial planning and the delivery of public services.

Accurate data on birth registrations will enable the government to make informed decisions about resource allocation, health campaigns and educational needs, he added. He concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights, ensuring their access to essential services and building a prosperous future for Sindh’s youth through this ambitious 100 per cent birth registration plan.