The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF along with other partners in Belize will be launching a birth certificate campaign on February 24th. The launch will first be held in the Toledo District. The campaign aims at having every child registered in the country which will then ensure children's rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. The campaign is also being endorsed by Special Envoy for Women and Children Kim Simplis Barrow.

Kim Simplis Barrow - Special Envoy for Women and Children
"It's to create awareness, to create awareness of how important registering your child is at birth.  It's advocacy, it's advocating, it's asking the community in the Toledo District to come out and if your child is not registered to register your child.  It's important to know why you need to register your child.  The idea behind it is, you must understand that if a child is not registered he or she will not have a birth certificate which in legal terms it basically means that the child does not exist.  It is so important that you know that the right to an identity, name, nationality is being denied, you must register child; it is so important.  By registering your child you are basically giving your child an identity, a nationality, you are ensuring that your child can be enrolled at a school at a proper age and more importantly this will provide access to healthcare services and immunization.  I am encouraging everyone to support this to register your child is not registered, if your child does not have a birth certificate, please do so."
   
Other organizations collaborating with the campaign include the Social Security Board, the Vital Statistics Unit, the Organization of American States, the National Committee for Families and Children, and the Toledo Program for Children and Adolescents.

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