Photos show the world's 'uncounted' people -- and what it takes to be counted
A project titled 'The Uncounted' by photographer Juan Arredondo highlights the plight of individuals without official life cycle records. The absence of birth and death certificates affects access to rights and services, with nearly half of all deaths and a quarter of births going unrecorded globally. The project aims to raise awareness about the importance of documentation for public health and social safety programs.
- ▪Juan Arredondo's project focuses on people without life cycle records, such as birth and death certificates.
- ▪Each year, nearly half of all deaths and 25% of all births go unrecorded worldwide.
- ▪The lack of documentation can hinder access to social safety programs and public health initiatives.
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| Original publisher | NPR — News |
| Canonical URL | https://www.npr.org/2026/05/29/g-s1-124682/photos-birth-certificate-death-certificate-photoville |
| Publication time | Fri, 29 May 2026 06:49:24 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-29T11:00:00.328Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-29T11:00:00.328Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Photos show the world's 'uncounted' people — and what it takes to be counted May 29, 20266:49 AM ET By Diane Cole July 1, 2025. Sirajganj, Bangladesh Mothers who lacked birth certificates for themselves and family members hold up the newly obtained documents after a drive in Dhamainagar Union, part of a campaign to get people to register so they are eligible for social safety new programs. Juan Arredondo hide caption toggle caption Juan Arredondo "The Uncounted" is the name of a project by the Colombian-American photographer and filmmaker Juan Arredondo. That title refers to people who have no life cycle records. No birth certificate. No death certificate. Or in some cases, the document may exist but finding a copy is like trying to climb Mount Everest.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NPR — News.
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