Cameroon is intensifying efforts to close a widespread birth registration gap, with officials estimating that more than 1.5 million primary school pupils — roughly 30 percent — lack birth certificates. A UNICEF-backed "My Name" campaign, run in partnership with local councils, has so far registered over 17,000 previously undocumented children, using health-facility registration, digital record systems, and outreach through traditional leaders in rural communities. The absence of documentation carries serious consequences: children without certificates can be barred from secondary school and public examinations, denied national identity cards, and, in conflict-affected areas, face heightened risk of exploitation and forced recruitment into armed groups.