The most worrying fact is the persistence of the non-reporting phenomenon for children aged below 2 years up to a rate of 20% in 2005 and 2011. Surely, the strategies developed in the 2009-2013-action plan should be reviewed or revised. • The birth registration rates vary little by gender, in 2011. However, from one area of residence to another, the gap that was at 12 points in 2005 between urban areas and rural areas remained higher in 2011 and fell by only 2 points. Rural areas account up to 21.6% of unregistered children against 8.8% for urban children. The phenomenon is not exclusively rural since one can wonder what justifies these 8.8% for urban children who benefit, moreover, from better conditions of geographic access and civil registration provision. • From one department to another, Pointe Noire is taking the lead with 96.4% of children under 5 years registered. It is followed closely by Niari (94.4%) and Brazzaville with 93.4% almost equal to the rural Likouala (93.2%). Bouenza and Cuvette-Ouest both record a high rate of 92.8%. The Sangha, Plateaux and Likouala are behind with respectively 81.7%, 73.4% and 69.0%. The degree of household poverty or wealth impacts directly on birth registration, while the free aspect of this administrative act is the rule and is even mandatory. There are certainly some hidden costs that deter the poorest (travel costs, lack of free time or important survival occupations). Among the poorest, one in four (24.0%) does not have a birth certificate while among the richest the rate is 6.7%. The state is well aware of this problem. To increase awareness on the importance and the issuance of a birth certificate, the government in partnership with UNICEF is pursuing advocacy and sensitisation, and increased knowledge on the importance of the issuance of a birth certificate. Popularisation campaigns on the Law of 4 - 2010 of 14 June 2010 on child protection were also organised. Considering the results of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2005, 19% of children under 10 years are without birth certificates; the analysis report of the birth registration process was published in 2009. For the Congolese government, every child must have a birth certificate. It is a civic act and a duty. Law No. 4-2010 of 14 June 2010 on child protection confirms the free character of acts of all civil registration documents in article 14 which states that: "Every birth of a child must be reported and registered in the civil register in accordance with legal provisions in force. The declaration of birth at the maternity, decisions and court orders on late birth registration, and the original copy of the birth certificate are free. ‘’ A strategic plan 2009-2013 on birth registration that takes into account all residents (nationals and foreign) was validated. This plan is the approach of the government’s framework for improving the quality of service delivery in the registration centres, including the need to reform the process, strengthen the capacity of civil servants and to establish harmonious links between the provision of civil registration and relevant aspects of lifestyles and social relations. It highlights the key actions to be undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation with other actors and civil society in order to improve the birth registration system: (i) improving the legal and institutional framework; (ii) 36