Cross-cutting - Birth and death registration

Registration of vital events is essential for accurately calculating birth and death rates and for assessing the level of infant mortality. Accurate information on births and deaths is important for tracking progress towards the health-related Sustainable development goals (SDGs). Data generated by accurate birth and death registration can be used to benefit the most disadvantaged and hardest-to-reach people, but only if it is universal so that no woman or child goes uncounted.  In addition, birth registration is important part of ensuring child rights as the provision of birth certificate determines one’s age, nationality, and entitlements to services including health and education.  It also can be used to enforce age-related legal provisions, such as minimum age to marry or joining the labour force.