IFSW will contribute to an international discussion on 28 September 2026, from 13:00 to 14:30 in Geneva (11:00–12:30 UTC), exploring practical approaches to accelerating birth registration through stronger cooperation between social protection, health, education and other sectors.
The event, “Practical Approaches to Accelerating Birth Registration through Interoperability with Other Sectors,” will examine how existing international standards, including the 2026 Human Rights Council resolution on birth registration, can be translated into practice. Discussions will also focus on how different sectors can work together to reach children and families who remain without legal recognition. More than 200 million children under five worldwide currently lack a birth certificate.
IFSW Interim Secretary-General Pascal Rudin will join a panel moderated by Professor Philip Jaffé, Vice-Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Other speakers include Ambassador Francisca E. Méndez Escobar, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations; Bhaskar Mishra of UNICEF; Marin Roman of UNHCR and the Global Alliance to End Statelessness; and Mia Dambach, Executive Director of Child Identity Protection.
The event continues IFSW’s longstanding commitment to birth registration and legal identity, building on decades of advocacy led by former IFSW United Nations Representative Ellen Mouravieff-Apostol, who championed every child’s right to legal identity at the United Nations and across the Federation.
Pascal Rudin said: “No single sector can achieve universal birth registration alone. Social workers play an important bridging role between families, communities and systems such as health, education and social protection. Bringing these perspectives together is essential if we are to ensure that every child is recognised and able to access their rights”.
IFSW will highlight the role of social workers in identifying and supporting children and families who have not been registered, connecting them with public authorities and services, and addressing wider social barriers to legal identity. Drawing on practice examples, including work with Indigenous communities in the Philippines, the contribution will emphasise that birth registration is not simply an administrative process, but an important gateway to rights, services and social inclusion”.
The event is co-sponsored by Child Identity Protection, the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, IFSW, the Permanent Missions of Iceland, Mexico and Uruguay, OHCHR, UNHCR and UNICEF.