Responsibilities and Organizational Structure of Ethiopian Vital Events Registration Agency December /2014 Addis Ababa

Introduction The civil registration system has been included in Civil code of 1960 which contains more than 100 articles, These articles have not been enforced due to many reasons. The code itself in Article 3361 (1)states that registration of civil status shall not come into force until a day to be notified by Order published it negarit Gazetta . However, the Order has not published. In Article 3361(2) the coming into force of civil registration the proof birth, marriage and death shall be made by producing the act of notoriety. In such a way that issuing of birth, marriage and death certificates as evidence has been in fragmented and non standardized system in municipality of big towns. Since 1990’s there was great attention to develop civil registration system in the country according to the UN principles and recommendation.

Introduction… After the first ministerial conference the FDRE government gave due attention for the enactment of legal framework. Accordingly, Proclamation No 760/2012 - the Registration of Vital Events and National Identity Card was enacted.

The Registration of Vital Events … proclamation No 760/2012 The purpose of this proclamation is to establish a system of registration of vital events (birth, death, marriage, and divorce) which plays a key role : in planning political, social and economic development, in providing different social and economic services to citizens and in making the justice administration expedient end effective and To create accessible, comprehensive and compulsory registration system on the basis of which citizens can effect proper timely registration of vital events.

The Registration of Vital Events…. Article 4 of the proclamation also states that an appropriate federal organ shall be established by the regulation of the Council of Ministers to direct, coordinate and support the registration of vital events at national level and to centrally organize and keep records of vital events , while Article 5 urges an appropriate regional organ shall be established or designated by each region to direct, coordinate and support the registration of vital events at regional level and to transfer records of vital events to the appropriate federal organ. The regions shall cause the assignment of civil status for each administrative offices (Article 6).

The Registration of Vital Events…. According to Article 6, 7 and 8: Ethiopian Embassies and Consulates (Vital events With regard to Ethiopians residing out side), Ethiopian ship (birth and death occurs on board) and Ministry of National Defense (death of the members of the defense) have been entrusted with responsibility to register vital events occurred respectively.

The Proclamation also contains: Role of officers of civil status, Types of register of civil status, Copies and certificate of registration vital events, Preparation and distribution of Registers of civil status, Safeguarding register s of civil status, Procedures registration of vital events Correction of records of register of civil status, Period of registration

Regulation on the Establishment of the Vital Events Registration Agency (No 278/2012) According to the regulation the objectives of agency -shall direct, coordinate and support the registration of vital events at national level and centrally organize and keep records of vital events .

Powers and Duties of the Agency Ensure the proper registration of vital events and the issuance of certificate of registration, Provide assistance to regional organs, Conduct awareness creation education and training, Conduct survey on quality and coverage of vital events registration, Facilitate the application of vital events registration to be supported by IT, Undertake the coordination of activities necessary for timely transmission of collected and, Forward policy ideas on vital events registration.

The Agency….. The Vital Events Registration Agency is accountable for Ministry of Justice, A vital Even council composed of federal and regional government offices: Initiate Policy ideas, Review the country's vital events registration action plans, Review the performance reports of the agency, Review national wide implementation,

A Board of Management: Oversee the activities of the Agency, Review the annual work plan, Approve guide lines to be issued by the agency, Deliberate and decide on issues related with implementation, Coordinate relevant organs, In both cases the ministry of justice is the chairperson and the director General of the Agency is the secretary.

Regional States Ethiopia has Nine Regional states and two city administrations Except two regions and one city administration, all regional states and city administrations have enacted the regulation of Vital Events Registration. Period of registration

Organizational Structure of civil registration

Expected Data Flow Chart

Progress at Federal Level The Agency: has developed National strategy and costed Action Plan for seven Years, (2013-2020) has designed Business Process Engineering, Is hiring and placing workers, Is capacitating the human Power, Is providing support to the regions, Is carrying out Preparation works

Progress at Regional states According to their respective Regulation: Many of them assigned the director general, Have established Council of Vital Events and Board of management, Have arranged organization structure up to wereda (District) level, Are carrying out the hiring and placement of workers, Have allocated or are allocating budget,

Future Engagements Thank You! Continuous support to the regions, and coordinating the Federal registering institutions, preparation to start registration, Lobbying the concerned officials to give prior attention, Continuous training and awareness creation works. Capacity building training for civil status officers, Developing directives and implementing manuals/guidelines, Thank You!