Accelerating a coordinated improvement of civil registration and vital statistics for implementation and monitoring of the development agenda in Africa: Review of progress and the way forward: concept note

Abstract

The United Nations adopted General Assembly resolution 70/1, committing themselves to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda, which is rooted in universal rights and driven by the key principle of “leaving no one behind”, contains 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets. It builds on the Millennium Development Goals, which expired in December 2015. The Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious, universal and transformational, aimed at balancing economic growth, social development and environmental protection. A complete and efficient civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system is essential for the implementation and monitoring of both the continental and the global agendas. A national identity system intrinsically linked to a well-functioning civil registration system identifies and recognizes every individual in the society but can also provide basic population data in a dynamic way at all administrative levels. A civil registration and vital statistics system is, therefore, indispensable for the effective implementation of universal and inclusive policies and programs, which in turn are essential to achieve the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.