By Enda Balina, World Vision Indonesia communications

In Papua province of Indonesia, only 30 percent of children under five years have their births registered, unlike many other parts of the world where this essential document is taken for granted.

Lack of awareness and information has been one of the main factors leading to this, but other obstacles such as the cost of transportation and the lack of some supporting documents including birth identification letters and marriage licenses have also contributed. (In Papua, many people are married traditionally and not through the church/civil register.)

To address this issue World Vision, in cooperation with the local government, has initiated a nation-wide campaign to support the government’s target that by the year 2011, all children will have birth certificates.

In Papua province, World Vision started the movement in three main districts involving thousands of people from various institutions. Keerom district, some 65 kilometres east of the provincial capital of Jayapura, was the first city that launched the campaign earlier this year, followed by Merauke in southern Papua, and Jayapura city. A similar campaign will be held soon in the mountainous areas of Wamena district of Papua.

Now, the children in Jayapura and Keerom can obtain their birth certificate for free after the mayor/head of districts and the city administration offices committed to discharge the parents from paying application fees for birth certificates.

“Undoubtedly this programme will bring benefit to the community. In 2009-2011, children up to 17 years old in Keerom will be able to obtain birth certificates for free,” says the head of Keerom district Celcius Watai. “After 2011, birth certificate will be given for free to the children aged 0-60 days.”

“As a form of child protection, birth certificate is very crucial. It is also recognition of a child as a citizen. World Vision hopes that this campaign will encourage the parents to register their children, as well as support the government in enhancing the system,” says World Vision’s Regional Manager of Papua Roriwo Karetji.