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First Conference of African Ministers Responsible for

Civil Registration

10-14 August 2010

UNCC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Genene BizunehAfrican Development Bank

Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Civil Registration and Vital

Statistics Systems in Africa

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Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

A. Some Facts

On Civil Registration and Vital

Statistics (CRVS) Systems in Africa

B. Problems/ Challenges

C. Opportunities

D. Way Forward

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Civil registration After nearly half a century, among the 53

countries only 2 to 3 claim to have complete civil registration systems

Even the 2 to 3 countries have not conducted conventional evaluation study in the recent past:- Uncertainty on the level of coverage and completeness

Nearly all the countries do not have:-

comprehensive guidelines for civil registration

causes of death registration as per the WHO standard

Some FactsSome Facts

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Vital Statistics

Except 2 to 3 countries, none of them produce current and usable vital statistics

In nearly all the countries:- No comprehensive technical and operational

vital statistics guidelines

No register-based infant and maternal mortality rates – key MDG indicators

No comprehensive causes of death classifications as per the ICD-10 standards

Some Facts … Cont’dSome Facts … Cont’d

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Traditional and inefficient public administration Inefficient justice system administration Inefficient social service administration Inadequate population and social statistics Decentralization programme without basic

statistics Democratization processes without adequate

electoral databases No proper instrument for safeguarding rights,

duties and privileges of persons and population groups guaranteed in national laws, regional treaties, protocols and international conventions and declarations

Implication of Inadequate CRVS Implication of Inadequate CRVS Systems in AfricaSystems in Africa

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Civil registration systems in the majority of African countries:-

Have no clear goals or targets Based on outdated laws and structural

arrangements No systematized operational directives and

procedures Not mainstreamed in national development

policies and programmesNot integrated in local public administrations

and basic social service structures No monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in

place;Do not meet users’ needs  

Problems/Challenges Problems/Challenges

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Vital statistics systems in the majority of African countries:-

Have no systematized operational directives and procedures

Do not play their role in measuring and monitoring national developments in general and MDGs in particular

Suffer from lack of long-term vision and commitment, primarily among training and academic institutions

Fully occupied with indirect techniques Suffer from a lack of expertise in

registration method

Problems/Challenges … Cont’d Problems/Challenges … Cont’d

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Regional Interventions

No regional policy framework

No regional standards and guidelines

Lack of excellence and adequate

expertise

No proper organizational arrangement to

support countries

No sustainable financial and technical

support arrangements

Problems/Challenges … Cont’d Problems/Challenges … Cont’d

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International Interventions

Weak applicability of international standards

Low interest and commitment to engage in long-

term endeavors, specifically training and academic

institutions

Lack of clear mandate and accountability among

major intervening organizations

Lack of excellence and necessary expertise

No sustainable financial and technical support

arrangements

Problems/Challenges … Cont’d Problems/Challenges … Cont’d

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Decentralization and democratization processes progressing in Africa

Reforms in public administrations and provision of basic social services, specifically in health and education sectors

More values for measuring and monitoring development results, including MDGs

Engagements of regional organizations (ECA, AfDB and AUC) in improving CRVS

Opportunities Opportunities

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Availability of UN standards and guidelines Improved regional and international support and partnership

Booming IT applications

Availability of national and regional training institutions

Wider availability of media and communication channels

Opportunities … Cont’d Opportunities … Cont’d

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Way ForwardWay Forward

Increase demand for and use of CR certificates and vital statistics data

Greater commitment and accountability: Ministries responsible for civil registration Ministries responsible for national statistics Civil registration authorities NSOs

Strengthen regional commitment: Include CRVS in regular activities Allocate regular resources

Strengthen international support Towards harmonized interventions and

coordinated resource management

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Thank you