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A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth. Depending on the jurisdiction, a record of birth might or might not contain verification of the event by such as a midwife or doctor. ==History and contemporary times== The documentation of births is a practice widely held throughout human civilization, especially in China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Persia. The original purpose of vital statistics was for tax purposes and for the determination of available military manpower. Births were initially registered with churches, who maintained registers of births. This practice continued into the 19th century.〔(''Vital Records Registration Handbook'' ) (Jacksonville, FL: Florida Office of Vital Statistics, 2007) 7.〕 The compulsory registration of births with governmental agencies is a practice that originated in the United Kingdom in 1853.〔("About Us" ) (UK General Registry Office), accessed August 2009, . 〕 Most countries have statutes and laws that regulate the registration of births. In all countries, it is the responsibility of the mother's physician, midwife, hospital administrator, or the parents of the child to see that the birth is properly registered with the appropriate government agency. The actual record of birth is stored with a government agency. That agency will issue certified copies or representations of the original birth record upon request, which can be used to apply for government benefits, such as passports. The certification is signed and/or sealed by the registrar or other custodian of birth records, who is commissioned by the government. The right of every child to a name and nationality, and the responsibility of national governments to achieve this are contained in Articles 7 and 8 in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: "The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality..." (CRC Article 7) and "States Parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations..." (CRC Article 8).〔(''Convention on the Rights of the Child'' ) (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1989), accessed 17 May 2011.〕
Despite 191 countries ratifying the Convention, the births of millions of children worldwide go unregistered. By their very nature, data concerning unregistered children are approximate; however, it was estimated in 2008 that 51 million babies – more than two fifths of those born worldwide – were not registered at birth.〔("UNICEF SOWC Report" ) (Childinfo.org) accessed 17 February 2011.〕 This phenomenon disproportionately impacts indigenous populations and even in many developed countries, contributes to difficulties in fully accessing civic rights.〔Paula Gerba, ("Making Indigenous Australians 'disappear': Problems arising from our birth registration systems," ) ''Alternative Law Journal'' 34, no. 3 (2009): |157–162, .〕 Birth registration opens the door to rights to children and adults which many other human beings take for granted: to prove their age; to prove their nationality; to receive healthcare; to go to school; to take exams; to be adopted; to protection from under-age military service or conscription; to marry; to open a bank account; to hold a driving licence; to obtain a passport; to inherit money or property; and to vote or stand for elected office.〔(''Count Every Child'' ) (Plan, 2009).〕 There are many reasons why births go unregistered, including social and cultural beliefs and attitudes; alternative documents and naming ceremonies; remote areas, poor infrastructure; economic barriers; lack of office staff, equipment and training; legal and political restrictions; fear of discrimination and persecution; war, conflict and unrest or simply the fact that there is no system in place.〔〔''The 'Rights' Start to Life'', (New York: UNICEF).〕〔("Fact sheets," ) (International Council of Nurses, 21 May 2010).〕〔UNICEF (2007) (''Birth Registration and Armed Conflict,'' ) (Florence: Innocenti Research Centre, 2007).〕〔Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on Children and HIV and AIDS Working Group on Civil Registration, (''Birth and Death Registration in the Context of HIV and AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa: Human's First and Last Right'' ) (Plan, 2008).〕〔("Birth Registration: A Topic Proposed for an Executive Committee Conclusion on International Protection," ) (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 9 February 2010).〕 Retrospective registration may be necessary where there is a backlog of children whose births have gone unregistered. In Senegal, the government is facilitating retrospective registration through free local court hearings and the number of unregistered children has fallen considerably as a result. In Sierra Leone, the government gave the National Office of Births and Deaths special permission to issue birth certificates to children over seven. In Bolivia, there was a successful three-year amnesty for the free registration of young people aged between 12 and 18.〔Simon Heap and Claire Cody, ("The Universal Birth Registration Campaign," ) ''Forced Migration Review,'' no. 32 (2009): 20-22.〕 Statelessness, or the lack of effective nationality, impacts the daily lives of some 11-12 million people around the world. Perhaps those who suffer most are stateless infants, children, and youth. Though born and raised in their parents’ country of habitual residence, they lack formal recognition of their existence.〔(''Futures Denied: Statelessness Among Infants, Children and Youth'' ) (Refugees International, 2008).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Birth certificate」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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