Make Sure Girls Count!

For girls, the lack of birth registration can be especially dangerous.

Goal: 20,000 • Progress: 13,637

Sponsored by: U.S. Fund for UNICEF

According to UNICEF, in 2012 alone, 57 million infants — four out of every ten babies delivered worldwide that year — did not have their births registered with civil authorities.

Birth registration is a fundamental human right that can safeguard children from harm and exploitation. Without an age established by birth certificate, it is much harder to protect children from child labor, treatment as an adult in justice systems, conscription in armed forces, child marriage, and trafficking. Birth registration is also needed to ensure that children have access to basic services, such as education, public health services, social protection services, and employment opportunities.

For girls, the lack of birth registration can be especially dangerous, as girls are already more likely to lack access to education, to face exploitation and abuse, and to be married early.

Surprisingly, birth registration is not a priority for U.S. Government development assistance programs. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Girls Count Act of 2015 (S. 802), that would make it official U.S. Government policy to help developing countries ensure that girls and boys of all ages are full participants in society, including birth certifications. S. 802 authorizes the Secretary of State and the USAID Administrator to support programs to improve Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems (CRVS), with a focus on birth registration.

Take action now! Contact your Senators to urge them to support Birth Registration!

Sign Here

Email *

First name *

Last name *

Don't display my name

Address *

Address 2

City *

US state *

Country *

Zip/Postal code *

Comments (used 0 of 255 chars max)

* = required

Dear Senator:

I am writing to ask you to cosponsor S. 802, the Girls Count Act of 2015.

In the United States, we take birth certificates for granted. Globally, however, many children are not registered at birth. According to UNICEF, in 2012 alone, 57 million infants — four out of every ten babies delivered worldwide that year — did not have their births registered with civil authorities.

Birth registration is a fundamental human right that can safeguard children from harm and exploitation. Without an age established by birth certificate, it is much harder to protect children from child labor, treatment as an adult in justice systems, conscription in armed forces, child marriage, and trafficking. For girls, the lack of birth registration can be especially dangerous, as girls are already more likely to lack access to education, to face exploitation and abuse, and to be married early.

I believe that this is an important issue, and that is why I am asking you to cosponsor this legislation. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Petition Signatures

Apr 22, 2018 Ananya Boonyarattaphun

Apr 21, 2018 Paola Moretti

Apr 21, 2018 SANDRY SAMPER

Apr 21, 2018 Marina Sartori

Apr 21, 2018 Kay Fisher

Apr 21, 2018 Albeniz Pérez

Apr 20, 2018 Sanand Dilip

Apr 20, 2018 Liliana fiorinl

Apr 19, 2018 Nancy Seay

Apr 18, 2018 (Name not displayed)

Apr 18, 2018 Jessie Dora

Apr 17, 2018 Roshan Akula

Apr 17, 2018 Christine Reinecke

Apr 17, 2018 Sylvie Aubessard - Guillot

Apr 17, 2018 Cheryl Aaron

Apr 17, 2018 Fiona Wilson

Apr 17, 2018 Niven Nolte

Apr 17, 2018 Ilse Spiegel

Apr 17, 2018 DAVID HARTER

Apr 16, 2018 Lynn Brown

Apr 15, 2018 Larry Spizzirri

Apr 15, 2018 Renny Wouterse

Apr 15, 2018 Catherine Tallman

Apr 15, 2018 (Name not displayed)

Apr 15, 2018 Christiane MASSONNEAU

Apr 15, 2018 Kathy Byrd

Apr 15, 2018 Josef Vogler

Apr 13, 2018 Fernanda Magri

Apr 13, 2018 Ben Prosser

Apr 13, 2018 koenraad seminck

Apr 13, 2018 Cindy Workman

Apr 13, 2018 Nancy Lewis Please cosponsor S. 802 to protect human rights!

Apr 13, 2018 Kefira Philippe

Apr 13, 2018 Pam Clair

Apr 13, 2018 Krystal Burroughs

Apr 13, 2018 Rae Stang

Apr 13, 2018 Quentin ANDRE

Apr 13, 2018 Greer Hart Any cause that protects the weak and vulnerable should be supported. With children this is important, as so many criminals exploit child labour. Birth registration means someone has a record made of their existence, which is a fundamental point.

Apr 12, 2018 Fatima Raza

Apr 12, 2018 (Name not displayed)

Apr 12, 2018 Lesley Adamson Girls count. Please help to make this a fact.

Apr 11, 2018 rachael Glogovsky

Apr 11, 2018 Barbra Clark This is needed!!!

Apr 11, 2018 Rosa Tarantino

Apr 11, 2018 (Name not displayed)

Apr 11, 2018 Mr and Mrs Richard N. Huff

Apr 11, 2018 Annie McCuen

Apr 11, 2018 Amber McClain

Apr 11, 2018 Howard Olanier