IDPs, host population in Babadjou to be issued birth certificates
By Stephen TADAHA
Many people especially Internally Displaced Persons from the crisis hit English-speaking regions of Cameroon, now settled in Babadjou Subdivision, West Region, and in other host communities are without birth certificates for reasons directly or indirectly linked to the crisis. A need that is also very important in their day-to-day lives.
On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at the premises of the Babadjou council, a sensitization workshop on the “DO NO HARM” principles and protocol in the implementation of civil status activities and conflict prevention was organized by officials from the decentralization and local development ministry.
The workshop which was presided over by the 1st Deputy Mayor, was aimed at bringing out strategies that will be implemented later to facilitate the process of issuing birth certificates to the needy, especially IDPs.
Among the strategies listed, were communication, data collection, deployment, and many others.
“I very much appreciate the session because it will help us IDPs get new and authentic birth certificates. My family is here and I have some of my family members whose documents were burnt and are without a birth certificate. So we help give them proposals on how to hasten things. ” a participant said.
With the precious documents, their socioeconomic integration in the host communities will also be facilitated.
” Most of the IDPs are vulnerable, and cannot have access to many things because they lack the first certificate in life. An ID card for example is done with a birth certificate meaning if you don’t have a birth certificate you will not have an ID. And you will be faced with many challenges. So we just succeeded in this step and the next one will be to implement the project because we already know how they live here” said Mr Sadou, the facilitator.
The project is in partnership with other ministries such as Women Empowerment and the Family, Social Affairs, Youth, and Civic Education.
