FG Moves to Strengthen Birth Registration, Gender Data

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has announced plans to collaborate with the National Population Commission.

The partnership aims to strengthen birth registration and develop a reliable gender database to promote inclusive national planning.

This was disclosed in a statement following a courtesy visit by NPC chairman, Aminu Yusuf, to the minister, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the ministry would support community mobilisation and sensitisation of women to participate in continuous civil registration and vital statistics processes, as well as the forthcoming nationwide population and housing census.

She noted that reliable population data remained critical to addressing persistent challenges facing women and children, stressing that accurate statistics were essential for effective policy formulation and targeted interventions.

“These are the issues we must address together, ensuring that children are properly registered at community and hospital levels and that we understand our population dynamics,” the minister said.

She reaffirmed that the ministry was committed to promoting inclusive national development through a credible gender database that would advance equity, protect children’s rights and support family empowerment initiatives across the country.

Mr Yusuf reiterated the commission’s resolve to advance gender-responsive policies, expand birth registration coverage and improve access to accurate and timely population data for sustainable development.

He restated the ministry’s strategic role in promoting the welfare, protection and empowerment of women, children and families through coordinated policies and nationwide advocacy programmes.

Mr Yusuf said as custodian of population statistics and the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system, the commission would continue producing credible data for evidence-based policymaking and equitable service delivery.

He identified strengthening birth registration, particularly for girls, as a priority, noting that legal identity was the foundation for accessing education, healthcare and social protection services.

The NPC chairman also highlighted planned collaboration between the two agencies at the forthcoming 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women to advance the rights of women and girls.

(NAN)