Orphans, Children Affected by HIV, and other Vulnerable Children in Cambodia: A Situation and Response Assessment, 2007
3.7 Birth Registration Birth registration is crucial for children as it helps them access essential services, but also helps to ensure that their inheritance is protected and, if necessary, trace their families at a later stage. In recent years, Government and partners have set up a registration system and process. Parents can apply to the Commune Council for an official birth certificate signed by the District Chief. This document currently costs 30 000 Riel. CDHS 2005 data shows that birth registration rate and possession of a birth certificate among children varies with age, wealth status of households, and survival status of parents. According to the CHDS 2005 only 55% of children aged 0 to less than 2 years have their birth registered. Rates of registration increase with the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age with 74% of children aged 2 to 4 years being registered. The level of registration varies widely according to income. As wealth increases the likelihood that children will be registered and possess a birth certificate increases. For example, 45% of children from the lowest wealth quintile have birth certificates while 66% of the children from the highest wealth quintile households have one. A further analysis of CDHS shows that among children under 5 years, maternal orphans and double orphans are less likely to have birth registration or birth certificate available (Figure 13). While 53 percent of children with healthy, living parents are in possession of birth certificates, for maternal orphans this is only 35 percent. Only the difference for maternal orphans when compared to non-orphans is statistically significant at the p<.05 level as shown on the figure below. Figure 13: Birth registration and possession of birth certificate among children under 5, 2005
*p<.05, **p<.01 and ***p<.001
Source: Secondary Analysis of CDHS 2005, C.Wolf
Children who have lost their mothers (maternal orphans) are less likely to have birth registration or birth certificate available ( Source: Secondary Analysis of CDHS, 2005)
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