‘The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right  to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared  for by his or her parents.’ Often referred to as the child’s first right, article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (above) forms the basis of an extensive project being undertaken by PLAN International in co-operation with the NGO Committee on UNICEF (representing 148 Non-Governmental Organizations). 

The National Conference Workshop on the First Right of Children held on February 25 March 1, 1999 was the first meeting in the Philippines on Child’s Rights as stipulated in Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC):  The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to acquire a nationality.

This conference workshop was sponsored by PLAN International Philippines (PLAN), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the Civil Registrar General/National Statistics Office (OCRG/NSO).

UCP is a joint project of PLAN International Philippines and the National Statistics Office/Office of the Civil Registrar General with financial assistance form PLAN International Netherlands.

  The Unregistered Children Project is a three-year project implemented in 32 municipalities and two (2) cities namely; Quezon City and Pasay City in the Philippines, these areas were primarily selected because of their inherent or indigenous characteristics which have contributed to the reported low birth registration rate.  The Project subscribes to the belief that birth registration is a basic right of every child that would ensure his/her start to normal growth and development as a human being.

  Goals

	To address the existing barriers of the legal framework and operational guidelines for a more responsive and relevant birth registration system; and
	To strengthen and support children, families and communities in planning and implementing efforts to address birth registration and related problems based on existing indigenous knowledge and skill

 Objectives

	To raise awareness on birth registration as a child right;
	To strengthen the capacities of registration agents to promote and sustain birth registration services at all levels;
	To increase the birth registration rate of children below 18 years with a focus on hard to reach minority groups;
	To strengthen local capacities and initiatives on birth registration;
	To conduct external and national initiatives to support the strengthening of the local capacities and initiatives; and
	To initiate a learning process on child rights’ strategies within the Philippines, PLAN International and the Asian region.