International Association Connecting Technologies for Citizens

RIGHTS TO CIVIL STATUS AND LEGAL IDENTITY AT BIRTH

Every person has a right to shine, said Steven Hawking, theoretical physicist and cosmologists, one of the greatest scientists who passed away two years ago.

And how to shine, if there is no evidence of existence? If there are still more then 40% of children born in Sub Saharan Africa alone who are not registered at birth?

The child at birth has no influence on choice of
• the mother
• the father
• place, State and date of birth

But every child has the right to appear before the law as a natural person, has the right on name and acquire a nationality-and most of all-to be registered immediately after the birth occurred, with no necessary delays, irrespective of the fact if the parents are known or unknown, if they are stateless of known or of unknown citizenship, if the parents are of migrant origin, or if their stay in a foreign country is not authorized by the immigration law of the State of birth.

What has the State to do with it?

The personal rights of a child at birth are a part of the legal identity, which will enable the child access to other rights.

The child is the owner of the personal rights vis a vis the State: The State thus must provide and manage an efficient system of registration, secure the safeguards about the privacy and data protection –and produce the evidence of the existence: the credential.

If a piece of gold, a coin, is a subject of authentication, we do not buy it if there is no certificate about its origin, weight, clarity.

It goes without saying, that also a newborn, irrespective of the place of birth, should get a certificate, the credential, issued by the State where the birth occurred.

The credential is not only the key to open the door towards different rights: it is a matter of dignity.