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Birth Registration
Colombia
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Colombia
Birth Registration
Declaration and Notification
Declaration and Notification
Informants
Who is designated as the primary informant for births occurring in health facilities?
Either parent
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The informant is the person who reports to the local registrar the occurrence of a vital event within the prescribed time limit. The law should establish, clearly and unequivocally, one person primarily responsible for providing the information needed for birth registration to the civil registrar. The head of the health facility should be the primary informant for live births occurring in a health facility. Alternative informants, in order of priority, are: mother, father, nearest relative of the mother, any adult having knowledge of the facts. Additionally, the legislation should explicitly state what type of facility is considered a “health facility” for purposes of being an informant.
Article 45 of Decree 1260 of 1970 provides a list of informants, without naming hierarchy of informants. The list for who should declare and request birth registration, is as follows: father, mother, other ascendant, closest elderly relatives, director or administrator of the public or private establishment in which birth occurred, the person who has picked up the abandoned newborn, the director or administrator of the establishment that has taken charge of the newborn child, or an interested party over eighteen years of age.
Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring outside health facilities?
Either parent
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
It is recommended that the law establish clearly and unequivocally one person primarily responsible for providing the information needed for the registration to the civil registrar. If a live birth occurs outside a health facility, the birth attendant (such as a midwife, nurse, doctor or other medical professional), should be the primary informant designated by law. However, the law may designate alternative informants and establish the order in which each of them must assume his or her responsibilities. Alternative informants, in order of priority, are: mother, father, nearest relative of the mother, any adult having knowledge of the facts.
Article 45 of Decree 1260 of 1970 provides a list of informants, without naming hierarchy of informants. The list for who should declare and request birth registration, is as follows:
father, mother, other ascendant, closest elderly relatives, director or administrator of the public or private establishment in which birth occurred, the person who has picked up the abandoned newborn, the director or administrator of the establishment that has taken charge of the newborn child, or an interested party over eighteen years of age.
What is the role of the health sector in birth registration for births occurring in health facilities?
Informant
,
Issuing evidence of birth
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For births occurring in health facilities, the most effective approach is to designate the head of the institution (or designee) as informant. Some countries follow a two-step process, in which the health sector notifies the registrar of the birth (providing some, but no all, needed information), but he parents must still declare the birth to the registrar in order for the birth to be registered. This two-step approach is considered less effective in ensuring high registration rates. In some countries, the health sector is neither informant nor notifier, but instead simply issues a document to the parent(s) that serves as proof of the birth. The health sectors limited role in this third option is not recommended practice. Finally in some countries, specified health staff may be designated as registrars or assigned some registrar functions, which helps bring registration closer to the people.
Article 49 of Decree 1260 of 1970 states that the certificate from the doctor or nurse that assisted in the mother during labor, will be used as confirmation of the birth by civil status register the official. In the absence of a certificate, the birth will be confirmed by an affidavit of two competent witnesses.
What is the role of the health sector in birth registration for births occurring outside health facilities?
Issuing evidence of birth
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For births that occur outside a health facility, the most effective approach is to designate the birth attendant - e.g., doctor, nurse, or midwife - as the informant. For births occurring outside a health facility without a birth attendant, an effective approach is to designate community health workers (including vaccination workers, nurses, doctors and other health professionals who see newborns for paediatric visits) as informants to register the birth of children that are unregistered and visited by them. Alternatively, some countries follow a two-step process, wherein the healthcare workers notify the birth to the civil registrar; however, the parent or other informant must still declare the birth to the civil registrar in order to register the birth.
For births that occur outside health facilities but under medical supervision, Article 49 of Decree 1260 of 1970 states that the certificate from the doctor or nurse that assisted in the mother during labor, will be used as confirmation of the birth by civil status register the official. In the absence of a certificate, the birth will be confirmed by an affidavit of two competent witnesses.
Does the law provide a process for the registration of births occurring in prison or other detention facility?
No
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For births in custody, it is recommended that the law assign responsibility to a specified person, such as head of detention facility or head of health services within detention facility, to notify the civil registrar of such births.
Colombian law does not include specific regulations for births in custody or detention facilities, so the general rules stated in Decree 1260 of 1970 apply. Specifically, Article 49 applies, which states that the certificate from the doctor or nurse that assisted in the mother during labor, will be used as confirmation of the birth by civil status register the official. In the absence of a certificate, the birth will be confirmed by an affidavit of two competent witnesses. Further, Article 45 of the Decree 1260 of 1970 provides a list of informants, of which the head or director of establishment where birth occurred is required to declare and register the birth. Thus, the head of detention facility would be required to register the birth.
What role do local leaders or local authorities have in the registration process for births that occur in the community?
Notification
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For births occurring outside a health facility, local leaders or local authorities may have a role in providing parents with proof of the event (such as a birth notification), notifying the birth to the local registrar, or acting as the informant. It can be good practice to Integrate civil registration functions with the duties and responsibilities of established local authorities who have close direct links to communities
Colombian law does not assign a specific role to community leaders or local authorities in birth registration. Article 45 of Decree 1260 of 1970 lists several persons responsible for notifying a birth and requesting its registration—among them, the director or administrator of the establishment where the birth occurred and any interested adult is an informant. Local leaders or authorities are not expressly mentioned but they may act under the general category of “interested adult” if they choose to declare and register a birth.
