The UN children’s fund (UNICEF) turns 67 this Wednesday and the agency is using the occasion to highlight how nearly a quarter of a billion children worldwide are literally being robbed of their birthright.

A UNICEF report finds nearly 230 million youngsters under the age of five officially do not exist because their births were not registered.

While rates vary across regions, UNICEF says the lowest levels of birth registration can be found in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

UN Radio’s Dianne Penn spoke to Claudia Cappa, a Statistics Specialist at UNICEF in New York, who says being registered with the civil authorities is key to ensuring children’s rights are protected.

Duration: 5'45"