N AT I O N A L I N Q U I R Y R E P O R T ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION For Human Dignity It should be noted that these challenges had to be classified into various issues and contexts. This classification also had a huge bearing on how to deal with solutions to the said challenges 43. These challenges were also supported by witness testimonies at public hearings which were numerous, but for purposes of this Chapter, some have been extracted and laid out in text boxes, whilst the rest with further details are found in Annexure 5. 3.2 REGISTRATION ISSUES Statistics extracted from witness’s written submission forms indicate that registration issues constituted 38% of challenges faced in accessing documentation. Figure 10 below is a breakdown of registration issues affecting documentation. Manual (handwritten) birth certificates 0.6% Issued ID without birth certificate 1% Short birth certificates 1.4% Incosistent application of policies and regulations 1.5% Corruption 1.7% Witholding birth confirmation records by health… 2.2% Attitudes of RG Officers 2.6% Capturing errors 3.1% Delays in processing and issuing documents by RG… 5.8% Lack of regisration requirements 27.0% Figure 10 Breakdown of registration issues 3.2.1 Lack of Knowledge on Registration Requirements for National Documents Twenty-seven percent (27%) of those who encountered difficulties in accessing documents due to registration issues, indicated that they failed to meet the legal requirements for particular registrations. It was further submitted that more than 10% of birth registration applicants were turned away due to lack of awareness of registration requirements44. This was established as the primary reason which affects access to documentation, especially for those living in marginalised communities45. Evidence also revealed that there was a general lack of awareness by members of the public on the legal requirements for acquiring national documents. Lack of knowledge on registration requirements included;      Requirements for applying for documents such as birth certificates, Citizenship46, Passports47, To register children within forty- two (42) days/6 weeks after birth and fees48, Requirement for presence of both parents when registering children born out of wedlock49, 43 Some witnesses faced multiple challenges in accessing documents, for instance one would face a challenge of delays in processing documents and also at the same time face a challenge of inaccessible DRG offices Submission by Mashonaland West Provincial Registrar. Submissions by various stakeholders. 46 Lack of awareness by people born to one or both parents who were from the SADC that they can acquire citizenship by birth in terms of section 43 of the Constitution and fee required was ZWL40. 47 Lack of awareness by people over 60 years that they can acquire passports with just an identity card, without the need to possess a birth certificate. 48 Witnesses were not aware that the USD50 fee had been waived for registration of children born out of the country to ZWL2 for children above 6 years and free registration for children below the age of 6. DRG policy change of 12 December 2018. 49 Mothers often approached mobile registration teams with fathers’ IDs intending to register their children in the fathers’ surnames and registration was declined in the fathers’ absence. 44 45 17 17