PESHAWAR, Nov 15: Birth registration is not only a fundamental right of every child as it is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Child and guaranteed in national laws, but it also ensures a better future for the next generation in terms of financial allocation and resources.

This was the crux of the discussion here in a consultative workshop on birth registration jointly organized by the National Database Registration Authority and Plan Pakistan, an NGO here on Thursday. Brig Anwar Khan, provincial head of Nadra, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Khalid Naeem, child rights adviser at Plan Pakistan, said in view of the vital importance of birth registration they had launched a pilot project on this issue in close collaboration with agencies concerned like Nadra and other stakeholders.

Initially, he said, it was planned that the project would be launched in four districts, two in Punjab and two in NWFP. However, he said it could only be materialized in the NWFP after the provincial government not only consented the project but also allowed it practically.

“Now the pilot project on birth registration, which will be for three years covering fiscal year 2001 to 2003, is being run in four districts of the province - Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and Abbotabad,” he observed.

Highlighting the objectives of the pilot project, Mr Naeem said the basic aim of the project was to create awareness among planners, implementers and general public about the importance of birth registration and to develop a viable birth registration system that could be replicated in other areas.

Furthermore, he said community awareness on the rights of child was also part of the project and added that local NGOs and community-based organizations would be actively involved in the implementation process of this campaign.

“Networking will be established with the government departments, communities, NGOs and CBOs to mobilize resources, implement the project and create awareness among general public,” he remarked.

Dr Firoza Ahmed, a senior social worker and chairperson of Pakistan Council of Community Development, on this occasion said that birth registration was basically aimed at providing better opportunities to the next generation. Keeping in view its importance, she stressed that it was collective work of parents, government agencies concerned, CBOs, NGOs and all members of the community.

She also emphasized the involvement of retired people in this campaign.

Col Tanveer Abbas of Nadra in his speech underlined the importance of birth registration. He said there was a difference between civil registration and birth registration, adding that both were very closely linked with one another.