Uganda: NIRA Preaches Birth Registration Gospel At National Music Competition in Mbale

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) used the national primary schools music, dance and drama festival in Mbale to preach the gospel of birth registration to both parents and children.

During the festival that climaxed on Thursday, NIRA with support from UNICEF Uganda for the third consecutive year used the platform to urge stakeholders to embrace birth registration to acquire National Identification Numbers(NINs).

During the competition, pupils used their talents to highlight the importance of birth registration and the acquisition of a National Identification Number (NIN) under the theme “MY NIN, My Birth Right.”

“Current statistics indicate that approximately 1.5 million births occur annually in Uganda. Without proper registration, many of these births risk going unrecorded, leading to a significant number of unidentified citizens,” NIRA officials said at the festival.

At the festival, NIRA set up a NIN registration center and deployed mobile sensitization trucks to further promote these important messages.

According to NIRA, in a bid to address this issue, it has strategically utilized the MDD festival as a platform to raise awareness among various stakeholders.

“By integrating important messages into performances, NIRA aimed to encourage communities to prioritize NIN registration and early birth registration as essential practices.”

Officials said to further incentivize early birth registration, government waived fees for birth certificate applications for children aged zero to six months.

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This means that parents can obtain a birth certificate for their newborns free of charge within this period.

“Early birth registration not only ensures accurate data capture at birth, but also facilitates the allocation of NINs, which are crucial for obtaining a National ID card when the child reaches 16 years of age,” NIRA officials said.

During the festival performances from pupils conveyed key points about NIN registration including a NIN being mandatory for obtaining a birth certificate where children require a birth certificate to have full access to their rights and entitlements and to have legal proof of their existence.

Performances also indicated that a NIN is a prerequisite for registering for the Primary Leaving Examination, and it also unlocks access to government services, including passports and driving permits as well a child protection that in case of child trafficking or kidnapping, a NIN and birth certificate play a crucial role in proving a child’s age during legal proceedings.

Stakeholders were also sensitized that a NIN can be used to open a bank account for children under 16 who lack a National Identification Card but it also assists in acquiring continued child support and inheritance rights in legal disputes involving children.