Assessing and strengthening medico legal death investigation systems to improve accuracy and completeness of vital statistics

Abstract

A legal review and business process mapping are fundamental starting points to assess a country’s medico legal death investigation system. Both engage system stakeholders, fostering support for improvements through the assessment process and discussions. A legal review is a comprehensive review of CRVS laws and regulations through the application of a legal toolkit, structured in line with the draft guidelines on the legislative framework for civil registration, vital statistics and identity management. Outcomes from a legal review vary based on results of the legal analysis, stakeholder investment in systems improvements, and a country’s legal system. The present report responds to recommendations made in the Nouakchott Declaration from the fourth conference of African ministers responsible for civil registration, where the conference “Encourages the African Union Commission to identify best practices within or outside the continent in order to improve the civil registration and vital statistics processes and methods and to share them among African Union member states and the regional economic communities”; and where it “Invites African Union member States to put in place appropriate legal frameworks to promote civil registration and vital statistics systems through the involvement of all stakeholders”.