Civil Registration Process: Place, Time, Cost, Late Registration Brisbane Accord Group Session 7. Institutional arrangements for civil registration and interface with the vital statistics system Civil Registration Process: Place, Time, Cost, Late Registration UNITED NATIONS STATISTICS DIVISION Workshop on the Operation of Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identity Management Systems for South American Countries 30 October – 3 November 2017 Bogota, Colombia with

Primary purpose – establishing documents provided by law Civil registration Civil registration is Continuous Permanent Compulsory, and Universal recording of the occurrence and characteristics of vital events pertaining to the population As provided through law, decree or regulation in accordance with the legal requirements of the country Primary purpose – establishing documents provided by law Secondary purpose – ideal source of vital statistics

Civil registration method Refers to the procedure employed in gathering the basic information on the incidence and characteristics of vital events that occur in the population of the country Upon which the preparation of vital records with legal value And the production of vital statistics is based Mandated by law Civil registration system Institutional, legal and technical settings needed for the performance of civil registration functions in a technical, sound, coordinated and standardized manner Functions include Recording vital events Storing, safekeeping and retrieval of vital records Protection of confidentiality Issuing certificates and other customer service Reporting information on vital events for statistical purposes Providing information to other government agencies, such as ministry of health, population registers, pension funds systems, electoral services, personal identification services etc.

Fundamental role of the civil registration system Provision of legal instruments to individuals, that is, registering the occurrence of acts and events that constitute the source of civil status and issuing certificates Facts relating to existence Identity Civil status Family status Legal and protective function Legal identity Human rights Directly linked to registration, such as the right to be registered and to have a name, as per Article 7 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child Derived from the fact that the person is registered, such as the right to vote, pursuant to article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Administrative advantages Access to services Statistical advantages

Civil registration models Centralized administration for civil registration One agency dedicated to administering civil registration Advantages Uniformity of procedures throughout the country, standard legal framework Uniform interpretation and enforcement of norms and regulations More efficient interoperability with other government agencies, such as the identity management Direct and effective control over the entire system Facilitates and streamlines training and technical support In terms of interoperability with statistical function Separate agencies – one for civil registration and the other for statistical function Coordination is of critical interest – Inter-agency Committee is invaluable Memorandum of agreement – another option Flow of data – procedures and protocols Single agency for both civil registration and vital statistics

Civil registration models Decentralized administration for civil registration More than one model Civil registration is administered by municipal government – uniform legal framework, content, forms (Europe) Civil registration is administered by states or provinces – harmonization at the national level (Canada, US) Other combinations Major considerations Ensuring uniformity of procedures throughout the country Uniformity of legal framework Harmonization at national level Rules for recognition of different certificates Statistical component

Civil registration models Principles for coordination Uniform legislation and regulations Identical definitions of vital events Statistical concepts, classifications and definitions Consistency between the numerator and denominator Implementation of international standards Inter-agency coordination committee Coordination within the system Communication (conferences, workshops, training courses …) Evaluation Professional association (statisticians/registrars/health workers)

Civil registration models In terms of institutional arrangements the following variants have to be elaborated: Civil registration, population registers and vital statistics Civil registration, identity management and vital statistics In detail under session 12