Eight billion people: The great importance of legal identities for everyone

Berlin, 14 November 2022 - The world’s population has now reached the landmark figure of eight billion people, according to the United Nations. However, one billion people still have no legal identity and are thus excluded from social participation and the opportunities of the modern world. With this having serious implications for those individuals, Veridos is committed to supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of giving all people a legal identity by 2030.

The world population has reached a milestone. As the UN announced today, there are now eight billion people living on our planet. On this occasion, Veridos, a leading global provider of integrated identity solutions, points out that, according to World Bank estimates, around one billion people do not yet have a legal identity. About 237 million children under the age of five do not have a birth certificate.

"A legal identity is the prerequisite for modern life in a connected world. Only a legal identity enables to uphold fundamental rights and participate in social, political and financial life," explains Marc-Julian Siewert, CEO at Veridos. "We firmly believe that a legal identity is a human right. That's why we are striving to develop both secure and innovative identity technologies that enable governments to guarantee this right to their citizens."

Official identity documents, such as passports and birth certificates, do not only establish a sense of belonging for individuals, but they also guarantee them access to social benefits and services such as healthcare, education, humanitarian aid and financial support. They also enable them to exercise fundamental rights such as the right to vote or inherit.

Internationally recognized documents enable people to travel across borders for business and tourism. But they also allow them to receive medical care abroad or pursue specialized or technical education in  foreign countries. Finally, identities give citizens secure access to important services for economic growth, such as setting up a bank account.

States and provinces also benefit from proof of identity, as it contributes to dynamic economic development. For example, the registration of all citizens of a country ensures tax revenue and distribution of state support measures. If all people have access to economic participation and education, states can tap the full economic and innovative potential of the population for the benefit of society as a whole.

For these reasons, Veridos supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which calls on all countries to provide all citizens with a legal identity by 2030. Veridos is a member of the United Nations Global Compact, a worldwide pact between the UN and companies for the social and ecological shaping of globalization.

"There have never been that many people living on our planet as today. Therefore it is important to guarantee everyone the chance to participate in all aspects of life from a young age and have access to economic and social opportunities," Siewert emphasizes. "At Veridos, we are committed to this goal. We are convinced that developing new technologies for the ID sector and supporting a constant global exchange of knowledge on this essential topic, will contribute to make the United Nations’ vision a reality.”