A/HRC/27/22 47. It is important that States nurture the trust of the public, reassuring it that civil registration will bring benefits to them, and not be misused as an instrument for repression.49 Confidentiality is vital to an effectively functioning system, and it is crucial that the States demonstrate that it is worthy of being trusted with this information. 1. Budgets 48. Small budgets and competing demands may make it difficult for Governments to treat birth registration with the priority that it deserves. This can lead to underresourcing and a lack of personnel and facilities to manage the registration system. 49. It is important to note, however, that a country can realize a high birth registration rate even with a low level of per capita income. In countries with an income of above $6,000 per capita, it is likely that the birth registration rate will be above 90 per cent. In countries with an income below that level, the relationship between income and birth registration rate is less clear; some countries have complete coverage, while others still have a very low rate.50 50. Clear budgetary allocation is of particular importance, especially in countries with a decentralized civil registration system, where while the national authority has technical responsibility, local registration officials depend, administratively and financially, on local authorities.51 51. Furthermore, it is important that public funding is allocated to birth registration, and that the State not simply rely on foreign funds or external funding sources. Government ownership with a budgetary commitment for birth registration as part of the overarching civil registration system is the only means to ensure sustainability. 2. Resources 52. In many cases, economic barriers due to a lack of State resources allocated to birth registration can in turn lead to institutional barriers. A lack of registration supplies, such as registration books, paper for standardized forms, and pens for signing the register, have all been noted as reasons for non-registration in various countries. 53. Human resources are also a significant problem. Many States do not have sufficient human resources to carry out registration, or have personnel that are poorly trained and do not know their duties. Poor working conditions and lack of appropriate staff support can lead to inaccurate registration records and, more worryingly, corruption and fraud. Furthermore, civil registration is often simply one task of many that officials are required to perform; where pay is low, it may be also seen as an added burden and consequently given low priority.52 B. Information and awareness-raising 54. The provision of information to the community and social awareness of birth registration are among the most valuable tools in encouraging birth registration. In many communities, registration is seen as little more than a legal formality, and neglected for 49 50 51 52 12 UNICEF, Strengthening Birth Registration in Africa: Opportunities and Partnerships, 2010 (available from www.unicef.org/esaro/Technical_paper_low_res_.pdf), p. 14. Ibid, p. 36. UNICEF, A Passport to Protection (see footnote 3), p. 91. UNICEF, Birth Registration (see footnote 34), p. 13.