The minister said they had come up with a strategy named: Special Project for the Registration of the Vulnerable Groups, which would address all the registration functions including births, deaths and national registration for the RADs.

He said the donation and partnership would facilitate the ministry to deliver on this noble cause and was elated that the 14 HP computers and seven printers bought at a cost of P188 424.36 by UNICEF would be used in this project for the registration of the vulnerable groups. They would be placed at Tsabong, Hukuntsi, Ghanzi, Gumare, Rakops, Letlhakane and Tutume Primary Hospitals.

In addition to that, UNICEF  also supported the ministry with promotional materials being 4 000 booklets and 4 000 flyers at a cost of P111 575.64. The minister said they would facilitate the implementation of civil and national registration, as well as information, education and communication strategy.

Meanwhile, Mr Batshu said out of the US$45 000 sponsorship from UNFPA, US$20 000 would be used on the registration of the vulnerable groups that included the RADs as per the current strategy under implementation.

The remaining US$25 000 would be used for the study to be conducted to ensure the completeness of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS). The minister further explained that an effective civil registration system was essential for the accurate planning of programmes designed to promote the well being of the people.

He said that included demographic analysis of statistics, which were essential to proper planning for social development, including design and implementation of public health measures, maternal and child care, family planning, social security, education, housing and economic development.

For her part, UNFPA country representative, Ms Aisha Camara-Drammeh said she was happy to note that they were part of the regional initiative known as Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems (APAI-CRVS).

The initiative, she said, was meant to improve the functions and services of the CRVS, placed emphasis on providing institutional and operational linkages, workflows, monitoring and evaluation in a more comprehensive manner in countries.

Meanwhile, UNICEF country representative, Dr Doreen Mulenga said Botswana was doing fairly well in birth and death registration, noting that the computers would significantly enhance this exercise, especially in remote areas where access to reach them was limited.

Dr Mulenga, however, said more ways should be exploited to see how children in remote areas could be reached for registration, adding that in Namibia,  government had come up with mobile registration centres to reach them.

The total UNICEF sponsorship for this year was P300 000, while it was P342 000 for the 2011/12 financial year. ENDS