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Kota Kinabalu: Anak has urged the Government to strengthen child rights protection and reform birth registration procedures to address challenges faced by stateless, undocumented and migrant children in Sabah.

Advocates for Non Discrimination and Access to Knowledge (Anak) Executive Director Anne Baltazar (pic) raised the concerns during the Symposium on Children’s Rights Legislative Reform held at the Parliament of Malaysia on June 8 and 9.

She said many vulnerable children in Sabah remain unregistered at birth and are excluded from essential services such as education and healthcare due to documentation barriers and geographical challenges.

Anne said birth registration should be accessible to all children regardless of their parents’ documentation status, adding that it is a fundamental right and does not automatically confer citizenship.

Anak also called for amendments to the Child Act 2001, removal of barriers in birth registration, stronger outreach services in rural Sabah and enhanced protection for children at risk of exploitation.