The Minister of Public Health, Manaouda Malachie has said that more than two million children do not have birth certificates, which could affect access to essential government services including health and education.
Authorities have cited some of the reasons as Boko Haram attacks, corruption and lack of awareness. Parliament has begun a session to find a solution. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said last year more than 40,000 children failed to complete their school leaving examinations as a result. The government of Cameroon has promised to try to ease the process of obtaining birth certificates.
More than two million children in Cameroon do not have a birth certificate, Public Health Minister Manaouda Malachie has said.
This could affect their access to basic government services, such as health and education, in the future.
The authorities have blamed the situation on a raft of factors including the conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, the attacks by Boko Haram militants in the north, illiteracy and corruption.
Parliament began meeting on Monday to find solutions.
Mr Malachie said the future of these children could be compromised.
The UN’s children’s organisation, Unicef, has highlighted how more than 40,000 children in the country’s Far North region were unable to sit their school leaving exam last year because of a lack of a birth certificate.
The government has promised to try and ease the procedure
