LAW REFORM Reform in 2008 of the Civil Registration Act provided the legal foundation for non-discriminatory access to birth registration of all children born in Thailand, regardless of their parents’ nationality, legal or other status. The reform also permitted late birth registration of individuals who had been born in the country but were not able to register their birth before 2008. Further, the amendments created a more flexible birth registration procedure under which births can be registered in any District Office, regardless of where in Thailand the birth occurred. As a result of these changes, many stateless children have been able to obtain birth certificates, a first step towards acquisition of Thai Nationality. It also enabled Thailand in 2010 to withdraw its reservation to Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.76 ONLINE BIRTH REGISTRATION PROGRAMME Supported by UNICEF, Thailand’s Ministry of Interior has developed and launched an online birth registration programme that sends a digital birth notification to civil registries. When a newborn’s information is registered in the hospital database, registrar officials immediately receive the same data and are prompted to issue a birth certificate. This encourages civil registrars in District Offices to contact parents who have not yet registered their child’s birth after leaving hospital. According to UNICEF Thailand, between 2010 (when it was launched) and 2015, adoption of the online birth registration programme expanded from 44 to 681 hospitals. CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRATION OFFICIALS To improve implementation of Thailand’s civil registration law, the Ministry of Interior organizes annual training sessions for officials employed in civil registration or the issuance of national identity cards who have less than 5 years’ experience. An updated manual on nationality and civil registration is distributed annually to every District Office. It covers key laws, regulations, and proclamations as well as judicial precedents relating to civil registration, including birth registration and nationality. RAISING AWARENESS Since 2008, the Ministry of the Interior has implemented a ‘Community Network of Civil Registration Volunteers’. This project aims to improve villagers’ ability to advise other members of their community about civil registration procedures, assist them to make applications, and monitor local implementation. Between 2008 and 2016, community networks were established in 51 provinces, including in areas with a high prevalence of populations at risk of statelessness. Learning about civil and birth registration procedures through members of their community increases public trust. At the same time, the project helps local civil registrars to understand and manage the challenges that local communities experience when they try to access registration procedures. The Bureau of Registration Administration, part of the Ministry of Interior, has launched a ‘Nationality Clinic’ website, which provides updates, information and counselling on legislation and procedures related to nationality and legal status. The service includes a helpline that provides advice on civil registration and nationality documentation. Impact According to the Royal Thai Government, the measures described above have significantly improved birth registration among groups at risk of statelessness. Per Bureau of Registration Administration figures, by 18 April 2017 159,831 children of stateless parents and 454 foundlings had benefited from reforms made to the civil registration law in 2008. Birth registration has helped many people to acquire Thai nationality and has reduced the incidence of statelessness. For persons who are not eligible for Thai nationality, a birth certificate helps them to establish their legal identity and is a key measure in child protection. The civil registration reforms and their implementation have also helped the Royal Thai Government to obtain up-to-date statistics on birth rates and population trends, enabling it to manage capacity and resources more efficiently and improve development planning. 76 25 Bureau of Registration Administration, Nationality Clinic website, at: http://www.bora.dopa.go.th/nationclinic/. CAMPAIGN TO END STATELESSNESS WITHIN 10 YE ARS