National and Sub-National Differences in Birth Registration by Age and Sex of under-Five Children in Sub-Saharan Africa

Emmanuel Souza, University of Malawi

Registration of vital events plays a pivotal role in securing fundamental human rights and establishing the legal identity of individuals. Despite many countries mandating universal birth registration in pursuit of global objectives, significant disparities in the implementation and practice of birth registration exist among countries, especially in the SSA. This study examines national and subnational differences in birth registration in the SSA, especially with regard to age and sex disparities. Using MICS data, the results indicate that there are large between- and within-country variations in birth registration, but there are no important sex differences. However, national averages mask significant subnational differences in most of the countries. Birth registration differs significantly by province, and within such provinces, rural-urban differences are even more stark. Efforts to increase birth registration need to target specific sections of the population that exhibit large differences.