World’s First

Legal Atlas on Birth Registration

A new global tool to strengthen every child’s right to identity.

Every child has the right to an identity including birth registration, name, nationality and family relations (Arts. 7-8 CRC). UNICEF in collaboration with Child Identity Protection (CHIP), have been working since 2022 to develop a comprehensive Legal Atlas to capture relevant birth registration laws to ensure that every child has a legal identity (SDG 16.9).

The first country profile on Cameroon is now available. Other country profiles will be updated in the coming months.

Cameroon profile

All images © by UNICEF

Why this Legal Atlas matters

A global legal resource to support countries align their laws with international standards.

Almost 30%  of children under 1 are unregistered.

Legal barriers remain a major obstacle.

No global legal reference existed—until now.

The Atlas brings clarity, comprehension, and
comparability.

Equipping countries for legal review  and policy reform  to leave no child behind.

A tool built for real-world reform.

What the Legal Atlas includes

A comprehensive mapping of birth registration laws and regulation

Universality

Coverage, inclusiveness,
and legal obligations.

Registration
Process

Information collected,
deadlines, informants and
fees.

Cross-Sector
Engagement

Health, education
and others.

Records

Centralisation, access
and rectification.

Special Categories
of Children

Abandoned, adoption, third
party reproduction and
migration.

How the Legal
Atlas Works

Country Profiles

Clear summaries of national legal frameworks

Compare Countries

Side-by-side view to identify promising
practices

Filter by Theme and sub-themes

Universality, health integration, records, etc.

If you have any comment or feedback, please let us know send message

Who is it for?

government officials

CRVS practitioners

legal and policy actors

child protection actors

UN agencies and inter-governmental organisations

CSOs, academics etc.

Disclaimer : The maps used are stylized and not to scale. They do not reflect a position by UNICEF or CHIP on the legal status of any country or area or the delimitation of any borders. Information on birth registration laws was compiled over a period from 2022 to 2025 and where possible, in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken to verify country profiles used in this Legal Atlas. As legal frameworks are constantly evolving, we welcome any feedback, including areas for improvement and correction bmishra@unicef.org and mia.dambach@child-identity.org. Updates will be made to reflect changes in law and policy as soon as possible.

World’s First

Legal Atlas on Birth Registration

Why this Legal Atlas matters

Almost 30% of children under 1 are unregistered.

No global legal reference existed—until now.

Equipping countries for legal review and policy reform to leave no child behind.