The lack of birth certificates is hindering the education and skill development of street children, making it difficult for them to enroll in schools and creating uncertainty about their future.

According to a press statement issued by INCIDIN Bangladesh on Thursday, street children face significant challenges in obtaining birth certificates, which are essential for accessing education and other opportunities.

In August this year, after nearly a year of closure, complications with Dhaka South City Corporation's birth registration process were cleared, and in an order the local government department asked the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to conduct birth and death registration activities through the central birth and death registration server. 

Besides, DSCC was directed to centralize the data of all the registrations done so far under the Register General Office, Department of Birth and Death Register.

Although the complications have temporarily eased, procedural challenges persist. Birth registration remains essential for school admission, accessing education, and receiving skill development training from various institutions.

But in this case, along with the children, the parents also have to show their birth certificate. This has created complications and worries, especially for the children living on the street who do not live with their parents, and hence the process of obtaining the birth registration has become very complicated for them.

The process of birth registration across the country was disrupted during July-August due to students’ agitation. At that time, mobile internet connection was off for about 10 days.

After the fall of the government, the councilors of the city corporation were suspended and due to this reason, since September, there has been increased pressure in the work of registration of births and deaths in many places. The concerned offices find it tough to manage it. The overall birth registration process has become stagnant at the moment.

The rights activists, who are working to protect the rights of children, hope that this situation will change soon and the process of obtaining birth registration for all children, including children living on the streets, will be easier.

If the birth registration is done soon, it would help establish the rights of the children, particularly those living on the streets, for their admission to schools, they said, seeking necessary support from all concerned in this regard.