Civil registration and vital statistics: from planning to implementation

Abstract

In the ministerial declaration from the second conference, the initiation of comprehensive civil registration and vital statistics assessments in all African countries was positioned as a way forward in order to obtain a full and current picture of the status of CRVS in the countries. From the rapid and comprehensive assessment of CRVS systems by countries, a number of them developed investment cases to improve their CRVS systems. Only a few of them, however, are actually implementing reforms. In advance of the fourth Conference of Ministers responsible for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, it is time to move from the planning to the implementation of reforms. Countries should begin to look at the mechanisms available in their context so as to ensure that they are able to deliver on operational or investment cases developed as a consequence of the recommendations that emerged from the country-specific comprehensive assessments of CRVS.