AFRICA/CAMEROON - The Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood's commitment to "invisible children"

Bafia (Fides News Agency) – In the Diocese of Bafia, approximately 20,000 children live without birth certificates. Children whose birth certificates do not exist. Children who, for the State, civil society, and the Church, were never “born.”
“The problem of missing birth certificates is a reality in most of our dioceses, especially in the major cities,” reports Father Cletus Ashu Amah, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Cameroon, to Fides on the sidelines of the Pope’s visit to his country. “The cause of this phenomenon,” Father Cletus explains, “lies in war and extreme poverty. Particularly in the English-speaking part of the country, there are many displacements, including of children, young people, families, and entire communities. Some displaced girls are forced into prostitution, become pregnant, and some of these children are abandoned. All of this happens without a birth certificate.” Preserving children's identity, protecting them from dangers such as human trafficking and abuse, and ensuring their access to basic social services like the right to education and healthcare, as well as their participation in social and religious life, are the goals of a project supported by the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood for Children at risk in the Diocese of Bafia and recently presented by the diocese's Justice and Peace Commission.
The project not only documents and analyzes the phenomenon but also initiates concrete measures to combat it within a broader context. The civic and humanitarian aspect of this project is part of the larger mission of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood, which, in accordance with the motto of its founder, Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson, "Children help children," contributes to the Christian and missionary formation of children. The project, which comprises several phases, includes immediate measures such as organizing mobile clinics where registration can be carried out, collaborating with local authorities in particularly vulnerable areas, establishing temporary registration centers in parishes, schools, and health facilities, and facilitating the process through legal and administrative support, including cost reductions.
In addition to these activities, a comprehensive public awareness campaign on the topic has been launched, including collaborations with radio stations. "The recognition of a person, the issuance of their birth certificate, is the first act of social and legal recognition of a child's dignity. The project emphasizes that every child, whether rich or poor, is priceless in God's eyes and deserves recognition," states the project. It is intended to serve as a catechetical aid for the children of the Missionary Childhood Center, collecting small donations and inviting children to pray for this cause. Informational materials are also distributed to encourage children to actively participate in a charitable activity for their peers in need within their diocese.
“At the national level, we at the Pontifical Mission Societies are currently working on a project for these children, which will initially launch in two dioceses. The children will be identified, their birth certificates issued, and they will be offered a comprehensive education that will provide them with a solid foundation for their future,” Father Cletus concluded. “Our office also collaborates with several orphanages that take in displaced, abandoned, and orphaned children. One of our most important tasks is the follow-up for the issuing of children's birth certificates.” (EG) (Fides News Agency, 17/4/2026)

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