1. The Need for a Civil Registration System

2. Presentation parts
Three parts
Definition and essential features – the United Nations framework for developing and improving civil registration
Importance of civil registration - human rights and vital statistics
Summary

3. Definition of civil registration
Civil registration is
Universal
Continuous
Permanent
Compulsory
recording of vital events

4. Definition of civil registration
State-run public institution
Serving general and individual interests by
Gathering
Screening
Documenting
Filing
Safekeeping
Correcting and updating
Certifying
Providing official and permanent record

5. Civil Registration Outputs
Quite a number of outputs – two main categories
Relevant to an individual
Original documents (driver’s license, passport …)
Copies
Extracts
Relevant to a society (aggregated individual outputs)
Statistics
Health services
Health registers
Family planning
Resource allocations

6. Civil registration – individual output
Providing official and permanent record (an example)

7. Civil registration – aggregated output
Creating a statistical record
Validation of data
Electronic format
Data editing
Data processing
Tabulation, analysis, dissemination

8. Civil registration – aggregated output
Age specific fertility rates, early 2000

9. Civil Registration Components
Law
Civil administration infrastructure
Population participation
Service to the public
Ensuring confidentiality
Checks and balances

10. United Nations Civil Registration Network
Management,
operation and
maintenance
Computer-
ization
Principles
and recom
mendations
Rev. 2
Release
and archiving-
individual
records
Information,
education and
comm.
Legal
framework

11. Civil Registration and its importance
Exercise of many United Nations endorsed human rights directly depends on registration and the existence of the civil registration system
“Every child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have a name.”
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Convention on the Rights of the Child

12. Civil Registration and its importance
Codification of international human rights provides the right to register:
Deaths – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Foetal deaths - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Marriage - International Convention on Consent to Marriage and Registration of Marriage
Divorce – United Nations General Assembly resolutions

13. Civil Registration and its importance
Lack of registration  Denying basic human right
Examples
1. Right to own identity
The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. – Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

14. Civil Registration and its importance
Lack of registration  Denying basic human right
Examples
2. Right to non-discrimination by reason of birth
States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within its jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.– Article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

15. Civil Registration and its importance
Lack of registration  Denying basic human right
Examples
3. Right to education
States Parties recognize the right of the child to education and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular: a) Make primary education compulsory and available free for all …; - Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

16. Civil Registration and its importance
Lack of registration  Denying basic human right
Examples
4. Right to marry
The right of men and women of marriageable age to marry should be recognized. – Article 23 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

17. Civil Registration and its importance
Lack of registration  Denying basic human right
Examples
5. Right to (elect) vote and get elected
Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions … to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of will of the electors – Article 25 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

18. Civil Registration and its importance
Civil registers are the best source of vital statistics as
Universal
Permanent
Continuous
Compulsory
Vital statistics is essential for planning and providing the numerical profile of the nation

19. Civil Registration and its importance
Incomplete registration
Civil registration system in development
Lack of vital statistics
Lack of population estimates
Source: UN Population Division
Total population:
212,092,000
Population 0-4:
21,782,000
First graders in 2002:
4,356,400
1.5 teachers per 30 students
Number of teachers needed: 217,820
Source: 2000 Population Census
Total population:
203,456,000
Population 0-4:
20,910,720
First graders in 2002:
4,182,144
1.5 teachers per 30 students
Number of teachers needed: 209,107
Difference over 8,000 teachers

20. Civil Registration and its importance
Enormous challenges
Stakeholders
Importance
Human rights
Statistics
Good governance

21. Civil Registration and its importance
Human
Rights
Civil
Registration
Vital
Statistics
Governing
Good and efficient governing must be based on informed decisions, that is why it needs qualitative and accurate vital statistics.
Ensuring basic human right is crucial for the normal functioning and governing of societies worldwide.
The exercise of many human rights depends directly on the existence of the functioning civil registration system.
Civil registration is, without doubt, the best source for accurate and reliable vital statistics.
Efficient and legitimate governing at all levels requires civil registration for its legal implications – citizenship, for example.
The lack of vital statistics directly affects the exercise of human right..