Associations between birth registration and early child growth and development: evidence from 31 low- and...

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Child Development
• Public Policy

Background:

• Legal identification, such as birth certificates, is often lacking for children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This absence poses significant challenges to their well-being and development.
• Birth registration is a fundamental right and a critical first step in ensuring a child's legal identity and access to essential services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the absence of a birth certificate and the physical growth and developmental status of young children in LMICs.
• To provide evidence on the importance of birth registration for early childhood outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nationally representative data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys across 31 LMICs.
• Assessed child outcomes using height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ), and the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI).
• Employed linear regression models with country fixed effects, controlling for child, caregiver, household, and service access covariates.

Main Results:

• Approximately 34.7% of children aged 0-59 months lacked a birth certificate.
• Children without birth certificates showed significantly lower HAZ, WAZ, and ECDI z-scores, even after adjusting for multiple covariates.
• The negative associations were particularly noted for children aged 36-59 months.

Conclusions:

• Established a clear link between birth registration and improved early childhood physical growth and developmental trajectories.
• Highlighted the potential of increased birth registration efforts to significantly promote early childhood development in LMICs.
• Emphasized birth registration as a key policy target for enhancing child well-being in resource-limited settings.