Today, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-21) joined Congressman Steve Chabot (OH-4) to introduce the Girls Count Act. Passage of this act would authorize the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide assistance to support the rights of women and girls in developing countries. Specifically, this bill will fund efforts to issue birth certificates and develop national registries for children in the developing world. In addition, the Girls Count Act will support programs to increase women’s access to passports, property rights, and social security.

Each year, fifty-one million children are born without registration. This legislation is a vital first step in ensuring their rights to nationality, parentage, citizenship, and services such as education and health care. Lack of documentation is especially detrimental to women as it exacerbates their vulnerability to trafficking and child marriage.

A copy of the Girls Count Act can be found here.