1. OWOR LINZ NYACHWO REGISTRAR CIVIL REGISTRATION

2. Outline Overview Legal regime Births and Deaths
(Institutional framework, roles and responsibilities)
Marriages
Adoptions
Challenges

3. Overview What is civil registration
Official recording of vital civil events by the government.
Events include births, deaths, marriages and adoption.
Mandate of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB)
Civil Registration at URSB is the mandate of the Directorate of Civil Registration.

4. Legal and Institutional Framework
Relevant laws
Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, Article 18
Uganda Registration Services Bureau Act, Laws of Uganda Chapter 210
Children Act
Local Governments Act, 1997, Part 2, Clause 14
Birth and Death Registration Act, 1973
Marriage Act (Cap 251)
“ The State shall register every birth, marriage and death occurring in Uganda”
Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Article 18
“The Uganda Registration Services Bureau is an autonomous statutory body with the mandate to carry out all registrations required under the laws of Uganda.”
URSB Act, Laws of Uganda Chapter 210
Registration Districts:
135 Government, Missionary and Industrial Hospitals,
1,350 S/Cs, T/Cs and Divisions
Municipalities
The City of Kampala
218 HCIVs have been gazetted as registration districts

5. Roles and Responsibilities
Hon. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Policy formulation
Attorney General:
Appoints Registrars and designates registration districts
Registrar General:
Issues long birth and death certificates
Receives returns from districts and hospitals
Issues registration materials to all registration Districts
Certification of documents in his custody
Collects Non Tax Revenue (NTR) on behalf of Gov’t;

6. Cont’d… CAOs/District Headquarters
Forward returns to Registrar General
Sub County/Kampala Capital City Authority/Town Council/Hospital/Health Centre IVs
Register births and deaths and maintain records thereof
Collect NTR
Forward returns to the Chief Administrative Officer for onward transmission to the Registrar General.

7. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
a) Births and Deaths
The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the 1997 Local Government Act as amended brought in decentralization. As such, activities in the BDR campaign follow a national harmonized model of birth and death registration.

8. Cont’d…. Ministry of Finance Ministry of Health
INSTITUTIONS
Ministry of Finance
Uganda Bureau of Statistics
Ministry of Justice / Attorney General
URSB
BDR National Task Force
District Local Governments
Sub counties/ Town Councils/ Municipalities, Health Centre IVs
Parish
Village Notifiers
Government, Missionary and Industrial Hospitals
Ministry of Health
National/ Regional Referral Hospitals

9. Context of Uganda Population: 34.9 million
Annual number of births: 1,514,000
Deaths: 76 deaths per 1000
57% of children are born within heath facilities (UDHS 2011)
Only 30% of children are registered at birth
Source: UDHS OBOS

10. Birth Registration Statistics for
PROGRESS REPORT
The Statistics;
579,592 new births registered in the FY 2013/14 up from 258,206 new births FY 2012/13
135 Hospitals were trained and equipped to use mobile VRS in FY 2013/14 up from 3 in FY 2012/13.
67 Sub counties registering using Mobile Phones.
33 districts using Mobile Registration including all 5 KCCA Divisions. With increased funding this can be replicated in all 112 districts
Improved service delivery: 2 days to produce a long birth certificate from days.
Birth Registration Statistics for
Financial Year 2013/2014

11. Reaching the Unreached
Country wide campaign for Civil Registration
“Don’t be a “Nobody”; Register your birth Today!”
Hospital based registration.
Phone/ kiosk based registration for community/ hard to reach areas.
Working with local government structures led by District officials using Mobile phones and NSIS equipment at sub counties.
Working with Early Child Development (ECD) centres Schools &Universities.
Linking marriages to BDR record using the Unique Identifier number.
Linking Adoption registration to CR and NSIS data

12. Strategies for Intervention
The CRVS Countrywide Assessment to establish the Baseline indicators on Civil Registration Status in Uganda, is in the final stages.
Training and equipping of 8,889 Civil Registration officials in 112 Districts of Uganda.
A Mobile VRS Review and BDR Policy development are in the pipeline,
Conducting media awareness raising campaigns to influence positive thinking and attitudes towards Civil Registration
Capacity building for partners e.g. computerisation and automation of processes at the sub national level
Computerising and equipping the Central Registry.
Involve wide mobilization of stakeholders for utilization of BDR data (NSSF, Banks, Social Protection etc…
Activating death registration and cause of death reporting,
Legislative reform

13. Registration of Persons’ Bill
The Bill seeks to among others;
Establish the National Identification and Registration Authority.
Once passed into law, the Authority will take over the functions of the Registrar of Births and Deaths.
This implies that Civil registration will again be scattered as different institutions will have different functions in civil registration.

14. b)Marriages: Forms of Marriages recognized in Uganda
The Christian/ church marriage
The Civil marriage (By the Registrar of Marriages)
Customary marriage
Hindu marriage
Islamic marriage

15. Forms cont’d…
1. Marriage under the Marriage Act Cap 251, Laws of Uganda
Christian/ church marriages
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the various Christian religions
Civil marriages . Celebrated at the offices of the Registrar of Marriages by the Registrar of Marriages; that is the Registrar General and the Chief Administrative Officers of the various districts

16. Cont’d…. 2. Customary marriages
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the parties
3. Hindu marriages
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the parties. Both parties must profess the Hindu religion.
4. Islamic marriages
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the Islamic faith. Both parties must be of Muslim religion.

17. b)Marriages: Institutional Framework
Hon. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Hon. Attorney General
Uganda Registration Services Bureau
Sub county Chiefs,Town clerks
Chief Administrative Officers
Mosques
Places of public worship licensed to celebrate marriages
Temples

18. Roles and Responsibilities
Hon. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Grants licenses. -Dispensing with given provisions of the Law
-Places of public worship to celebrate marriages
On advise of the Registrar General, provides the fees for marriages under the various Laws.
Issues statutory instruments as provided for under the various Laws.
2. Hon. Attorney General.
Divides the country into registration districts for purposes of marriages.
Appoints marriage registrars.

19. Cont’d… Registrar General
Celebrates Civil marriages and issuance of certificates thereof.
Repository for marriage registration data.
Collection of Non Tax Revenue (NTR)
Search, certification and Verification of documents
Provide Advisory services to Government.
Chief Administrative Officers
Celebrate civil marriages in the various districts
Collect NTR
Forward marriage returns to Registrar General.

20. Cont’d… Sub County Chiefs/Town Clerks
Register customary marriages and issue certificates of customary marriage registration
Forward returns of customary marriages registered to the Registrar General
Collect NTR.
Churches/Temples/Mosques
Celebrate marriages in accordance with their respective rites and customs
Forward monthly returns to the Registrar General for custody

21. Adoptions
The Registrar of Births and Deaths, who is the Registrar General is mandated by the Children Act to maintain an adopted children's register where particulars of adoption orders are entered.
the Registrar General therefore registers adoption orders and issues certificates of adoption.

22. Divorces Divorces are handled by the Judiciary.
There is no provision for registration of divorces save for the Muslim Divorces which are registered by the Registrar General as provided under Cap 252.
There is a Marriage and Divorce Bill before which seeks among others to have all divorces registered by the Registrar of Marriages

23. Challenges Financial constraints
Absence of a BDR Policy. This has in turn hindered reform of the BDR Act.
Lack of awareness both by the public and the various duty bearers.
Limited coverage
Archaic civil registration laws eg,
Marriage Act 1904
Births and death registration Act 1973