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Disclaimer / Limitations
This country’s legal measures were reviewed by our legal staff in consultation with in-country lawyers and/or CRVS legal experts. All efforts were made to ensure the accuracy of the legal analysis, however, if you consider there to be any discrepancies or if there have been changes in the law of the country since our staff last updated the legal analysis, we welcome any additional information or insights. Please contact us via this form.
Birth Registration
Ghana
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Ghana
Birth Registration
ID and Related Services
ID and Related Services
Unique Personal Identifier (UPI)
Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth registration for every child born in the country?
No
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The UN guidance recommends that a unique personal identifier (UPI) is assigned and entered into the birth record for every child born within the territory of the country, regardless of citizenship, ethnicity, nationality, or residency status. This facilitates the linkage of records in the CR and ID systems.
The assignment of a unique personal identifier is not addressed directly in the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, National Identity Register Act or the regulations issued under either of those laws. Section 43(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act states only that a birth certificate, death certificate or any other document issued by the Registry shall bear a unique number for data management purposes. Section 75 of the National Identity Register Act indicates only that a national identity card contains a personal identification number that is issued by the National Identification Authority.
In practice, according to the National Identification Authority website, unique personal identification numbers are randomly generated by the database of the National Identity Register when the person in question is entered into that database.
Registration Linked to Access to Key Services and Other Incentives
Is proof of birth registration required in order to access any public services?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
Birth certificate should be requested to access public services, such as child immunizations and wellness checks, school enrolllment, etc. Absence of a birth certificate should not prevent the child from accessing healthcare, education, or other services. However, if health workers (such as vaccination workers, doctors, nurses) or other public servants see an unregistered child, they can use the opportunity to report the birth or educate the parents about birth registration.
The Registration of Births and Deaths Act makes the production of a birth certificate a pre-condition for the enrolment of a child at a basic school or pre-school, starting five years from the date when the Act came into force.
In 2020, the Ghana Supreme Court (Ghana’s apex court) considered whether it was permissible for the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 to fail to recognize birth certificates as identification documents for the purpose of voter registration. The Court found that a birth certificate is not a form of identification, stating that it does not establish the identity of the bearer or link the holder with the information on the certificate. This judgment would seem to discourage the use of birth certificates for identification purposes.
In contrast, the National Identification Card is mandatory for a number of purposes, such as application for a driver’s license, opening of a bank account, sale or purchase of land, pension transactions, voter registration, payment of taxes, SIM card registration, applications for public or government services and benefits, admission to any educational institution in Ghana, and all financial transactions including the use of mobile financial services.
Is proof of birth registration required by law to issue a national ID card?
No
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For those born in the country, birth registration should be required in order to register for a national ID. For refugees, migrants or stateless persons born outside the country and lacking proof of birth registration from country of origin, the law should provide alternative means to validate their identity and obtain identity credentials.
A birth certificate may be presented as proof of identification to access a national ID card, but this is not required. The National Identity Register Act (as amended) lists a birth certificate as one of several possible sources of identification that may be required for entry into the National Identification Register: a birth certificate, a valid passport, a valid residence permit, a valid certificate of acquired citizenship or any other information about identity that the Authority may require.
