1. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal, Administrative and Statistical Purposes and Uses of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems United Nations Statistics Division

2. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Civil registration is –Universal Registering all events For all areas and subdivision For population temporarily abroad –Continuous Constant recording not limited by time –Permanent Existence of a stable administration –Compulsory Compliance, enforcement, penalties Incentives recording of vital events Definition of civil registration

3. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 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

4. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Civil Registration Components Law – legal framework Civil administration infrastructure Population participation Service to the public Ensuring confidentiality Checks and balances

5. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal functions – individual output Providing official and permanent record (an example)

6. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal functions – protection of human rights Exercise of many United Nations endorsed human rights directly depends on registration and the existence of the civil registration system

7. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal functions – protection of human rights Lack of registration  Preventing the exercise of a 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 … – Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

8. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal functions – protection of human rights Lack of registration  Preventing the exercise of a basic human right Examples 2. 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.

9. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Legal functions – protection of human rights Lack of registration  Preventing the exercise of a basic human right Examples 3. 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.

10. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Statistical functions Civil registers are the best source of vital statistics Vital statistics is essential for planning and providing the numerical profile of the nation

11. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 – 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 Statistical functions

12. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Enormous challenges Stakeholders Importance Human rights Statistics Good governance Civil Registration – holistic approach

13. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Human Rights Civil Registration Vital Statistics Governing Good and efficient governing can be based only on factual and informed decision-making process - accurate vital statistics are thus indispensable Ensuring basic human right is crucial responsibility of evry single government worldwide – especially those that are Member States of the United Nations The exercise of many human rights depends directly on the existence of the functioning civil registration system Civil registration is 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 Civil Registration and its importance

14. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Uses of birth records Birth records Birth occurred in the country? Did the birth occur? Who are the parents? Buying a property Applying for Child grant Getting married How old are you? Vote Entering school Joining the army Applying for passport Applying for an ID Vaccination programme Post-natal care Nutritional Programme for babies Epidemiology Research (eg risk factors for low birth weight) For individuals For society and research How many Maternal units needed?

15. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Uses of Death records Death records Death records Apply for Burial permit Make insurance claims Claim inheritance rights To get married for the surviving spouse Clearing certain registries: Social security; electoral list; bank accounts Follow-up on deaths from infectious diseases Quarantine Supplement cancer registry Follow-up on death Cases: sampling Birth records Linking Study on infant Mortality: risk factors For individuals For society and research

16. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Uses of fertility and mortality statistics Fertility statistics Fertility statistics Mortality statistics Mortality statistics Population projections Population projections Infant mortality rate Infant mortality rate Immunisation coverage Business (baby products) Prioritisation of health needs Maternal mortality rate Maternal mortality rate Business (burial needs ) Epidemiologic studies Voter Population estimates Demand for housing Demand for water Verification of census results Weights for surveys Labour force Family planning Lifetable survivorship and life expectancy Monitoring interventions Epidemiologic studies School enrolment School enrolment Monitoring of children’s rights HIV Prevalence estimates GDP and PPI calcs Safe motherhood MDG Primary health care

17. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Users of fertility and mortality statistics Fertility and mortality Statistics Policy makers Marketing companies Insurance companies Researchers Students International organizations Development Agencies/ Administrators/ planners Civil society, NGO’s

18. First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 – 14 August 2010 Cause of death profile in Cape Town, 2004 Courtesy of Dr. Debbie Bradshaw, South African Research Council