A/HRC/27/22 other authorities or entities. In certain cases, documentation of grandparents of the child may also be required. Obtaining these documents can be exceedingly difficult or impossible, in particular where there is a low level of birth registration and documentation within the general population or a specific group, such as in the case of a minority population. As a result, flexible rules of proof are required. D. Costs 61. In many countries, the cost of birth registration is prohibitively expensive for most families. Costs can be incurred by direct payments for registration or the birth certificate, or indirect costs for travel and opportunity costs, as discussed above.58 Unfortunately, while some of these direct costs are official, others are imposed illegally by registrars in an attempt to extort more money from families, a problem that is more difficult to fight.59 In addition, some countries also impose fees or fines if registration is delayed or late. This may discourage registration for a child once the initial period for registration has passed. 62. Children from the poorest households are twice as likely to be unregistered as those from the richest.60 This is particularly unfortunate, given that birth registration is one of the most powerful instruments to ensure equal access for children over a broad range of services, while non-registration will only exacerbate their poverty and prolong their marginalization.61 E. Discrimination 63. In many countries, parents are required to present their own identity documents in order to be able to register their child. In cases where the parents themselves have not been registered or are illegal migrants, this may prevent their children from having access to their rights, perpetuating marginalization. In addition, such parents may fear approaching the authorities to register their children as reporting may lead to their own detection by the authorities.62 64. Some States refuse to register the children of non-citizens, in particular when they do not have permanent residence, or are refugees or asylum seekers. This is problematic, given that, in addition to the difficulties experienced by all children without a birth certificate, children of non-citizens, and in particular refugee and asylum seeker children, face particular challenges when they seek to acquire proof of nationality, and face a heightened risk of being left stateless (see para. 23-24 above). 65. Registration has important benefits for the host country, as it improves State administration and provides information about the refugee and asylum seeker population. Furthermore, in the medium to long term, a birth certificate can assist in the durable return of refugees to their areas of origin.63 It can also facilitate repatriation, prove lineage and assist families in reclaiming property upon return. 58 59 60 61 62 63 14 UNICEF, The ‘Rights’ Start to Life (see footnote 56), p. 23. UNICEF Birth Registration (see footnote 34), p. 13. UNICEF, Progress for Children: Achieving the MDGs with Equity, No. 9, September 2010 (available from www.unicef.org/publications/files/Progress_for_Children-No.9_EN_081710.pdf), p. 45. UNICEF, Birth Registration (see footnote 34), p. 1. Contribution from Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants. See UNHCR, Conclusion on civil registration, 17 October 2013, No.111(LXIV)-2013.