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Birth Registration
Papua New Guinea
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Papua New Guinea
Birth Registration
Declaration and Notification
Declaration and Notification
Informants
Who is designated as the primary informant for births occurring in health facilities?
Head of health facility or other health staff
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.
The primary notifier (informant) of a birth that takes place at a health facility is the head of that health facility. The definition of "health facilities" is very broad, covering both public and private persons and organizations providing health care and related services.
Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring outside health facilities?
Head of health facility or other health staff
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.
The primary notifier (informant) of a birth that occurs at a place other than a health facility is the medical attendant who assisted at the birth, or, where there was no medical attendant, the mother or father, followed by any other relative who assumes guardianship of the child.
What is the role of the health sector in birth registration for births occurring in health facilities?
Informant
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.
The primary notifier (informant) of a birth that takes place at a health facility is the head of that health facility. The definition of "health facilities" is very broad, covering both public and private persons and organizations providing health care and related services.
What is the role of the health sector in birth registration for births occurring outside health facilities?
Informant
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.
Does the law provide a process for the registration of births occurring in prison or other detention facility?
Yes
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.
When a woman gives birth in a correctional institution, the head of that facility must notify the Registrar-General of the birth. The law contains no time period for this notification.
What role do local leaders or local authorities have in the registration process for births that occur in the community?
None
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
The Civil and Identity Registration Act does not prescribe any role for local leaders or local authorities.
Under the Local Level Governments (LLGs) Administration Act 1997, local-level governments are required to keep a register known as a “Village Book” for each ward within the Local-level Government area (also sometimes referred to as “Village Record Books” or “Ward Record Books”). The Village Book contains information on the names, clans, ethnic groups and (where applicable) addresses of all persons within the ward, among other information. It is reported in secondary sources that a Village Book also contains information about vital events and is transmitted from the ward to the Local Level Governments and ultimately shared with the National Statistics Office – although it is not clear if the Village Books are being maintained in practice in all areas or utilized in any way by civil registration authorities.
