Lucio Valerio Sarandrea and Paula Vargas
11 December 2024
It’s a rather cloudy day in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. As our car advances through the mid-morning traffic, we pass downtown’s characteristic wall art paintings, and reach the government buildings. The morning light filters softly through the clouds, casting a gentle glow on the green meadows where children play near the buildings. Among the vibrant magenta bougainvillea flowers, a story of hope unfolds.
As we move through the offices of the civic registry and hospital annexes, we meet Salome, the only person in the country authorized to manually sign birth certificates. At her desk, she sits behind towering stacks of files, each one waiting for her signature — a responsibility that is both overwhelming but also truly inspiring. A birth certificate is more than just a piece of paper. It forms the gateway to a child’s official identity, and promises that they are recognized, protected and supported from birth throughout their entire life. Without a birth certificate, children stay invisible to the system – unable to access education, healthcare of future opportunities.
The numbers are staggering: in 2023, Salome processed 26,000 birth documents. That number tripled to nearly 78,000 certificates in 2024 thanks to UNICEF’s critical support, which provided 44 mobile registration units – two for each region in the country. That means over 200 birth certificates singlehandedly processed by Salome every day of the year, without exception. Despite the daunting task, Salome remains steadfast. "Every signature is a child's future," she says, her hands moving swiftly across the papers. In a country with a population estimated between 11 and 16 million, where only 13.1% of children under five have birth certificates, her work is nothing short of transformative.
The true scale of the challenge is still emerging, as population estimates vary widely. A recently conducted census is expected to clarify the numbers, providing critical data to support the expansion of legal identity in Papua New Guinea.
Clearly though, support at all levels is needed to further expand birth registration, including legislative and administrative reforms as well as digital innovations. During our visit it was announced that UNICEF will provide electronic equipment for digital signatures in 2025, starting a new era of simplifying and accelerating the registration process. Applause filled the room after the announcement. For her part, Salome continued signing more birth certificates, her smile a quiet reminder of the individual stories behind each certificate.
This digitalization support complements ongoing efforts by UNICEF Papua New Guinea to strengthen birth registration services across all 22 provinces. From rolling out mobile registration kits and capacity-building initiatives to providing technical support to the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) national committee, UNICEF’s commitment remains unwavering: every child deserves the right to an identity and a future full of promise.
Lucio Valerio Sarandrea is a Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF EAPRO
Paula Vargas is the Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Papua New Guinea
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