In Morondava, the drawers of the registry office are overflowing. Since 2023, more than 200 original copies of birth certificates have remained abandoned, never to be recovered by their parents. And this figure does not even take into account the previous years (2020, 2021, 2022), for which no official verification has yet been carried out. This alarming finding raises fundamental questions about the management of official documents, public awareness and the risks of identity fraud.
A recurring phenomenon, a worrying oversight
‘The majority of parents do come to register the birth of their children,’ confirms Julien Ratolojanahary, registrar for the Morondava Urban Community. ‘But very few come back to collect the document on the agreed date’. As a result, piles of documents are piling up in an already overcrowded office. Since January 2025, 500 births have been registered. Yet 80 birth certificates remain unclaimed to this day. A trend that’s only getting worse over the years.
Dual identity: a very real risk
This administrative laxity might seem benign. But it is not. By leaving these documents lying idle in local authority offices, families are exposing their children to precarious administrative situations. In the event of loss of proof of registration or late application for a supplementary judgment, the risk of dual identity becomes very real. Worse still, some families are unaware that the record has already been drawn up. Out of fear or ignorance, they wait for regularisation campaigns to be organised via the fokontany. Meanwhile, the documents remain stuck in administrative limbo.
Simple but ignored solutions
Faced with this situation, the local administration is struggling to keep up. No warning system or effective communication strategy has been put in place. A solution as basic as displaying the names of the children (by register number) could be enough to alert the parents concerned. But this approach is still lacking. Furthermore, the lack of space and the absence of an archive management plan make the situation even more precarious. Crucial documents could be damaged, lost or misfiled.
A silent emergency
Behind this administrative matter lies a silent emergency : the right to an identity, the first pillar of access to citizenship. Without a birth certificate, a child remains invisible to the State. No school, no national identity card, no civic rights. It’s time for local authorities to get to grips with this issue, and for citizens to be better informed about the importance of this simple piece of paper, the foundation of all administrative life.
