1. Timor – Leste Participant Production and Use of Vital StatisticsApplying Tools and Materials Available to Improve Vital Statistics A presentation to the Third Regional Workshop on Production and Use of Vital Statistics:  Applying Tools and Materials Available to Improve Vital Statistics From 26 – 30 May 2014, in Daejeon,Republic of Korea.

2. Outline Presentation • General background • CRVS in the Country Level • Source of Data • Challenges • Registration Practice in Timor-Leste • Strategy GDS for the future

3. Timor-Leste

4. 1. General Background • The population 1.1 million • The country’s revenue base is petroleum oil and natural gas • It has a youthful population with about 48 % under 18 years • The fertility levels are high but declining fast, 6.99 in 2004 and 5.7 in 2010 • Maternal mortality ratio is 557 deaths per 100,000 live births • Infant Mortality Rate is currently 45 deaths per 1000 live births compared to 83 deaths 10-14 years ago • High unemployment rate estimated at of 8.3% in 2010

5. 2. CRVS In country level • In early 2000, work has began on a new registration system with the support of UNTAET experts • In December 2000 the Central Civil Registry was established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs within the East Timor Transitional Authority • Under the first independent government, established in May 2002, the function of civil registration was placed under the Ministry of Justice. • The procedures for birth registration established by UNTAET remained in effect, explicitly stating that the birth of a baby “shall be reported to the Central Civil Registry by the mother, father or another family member within four weeks of said birth (UNICEF, 2002).

6. Continued • On the basis of the UNTAET regulation, district-level civil registry offices were opened. • More recently, a Civil registration Code has been drafted by the Ministry of Justice to help decentralize registration to the sub-district and village levels and promote civil registration as a national priority (UNICEF, 2002).

7. Continued Despite the many challenges, significant progress has been made. • In October 2002, the MOJ and UNICEF Timor-Leste signed an agreement identifying birth registration as a priority and, • In 2003 two pilot birth registration projects began in two districts (Manatuto and Bobonaro) • A “training of trainers” was conducted to teach civil registry staff and volunteers who formed mobile registration teams. • The mobile birth registration campaign registered approximately 17,000 children- the majority under five years of age (UNICEF, 2002).

8. Continued • In 2008, the MOH along with the support of the WHO established a pilot project in Manatuto to record births and deaths, after initial success of few months, it became clear that if Timor-Leste was going to have a robust vital registration system. • In February 2011, another National Birth Registration Campaign undertaken, with the support of UNICEF and 60,000 children were registered. • In addition, the use of mobile registration teams have been successful in decentralizing the birth registration process and greatly increasing the numbers of children registered.

9. Continued • A MoU of Agreement to boost birth registration and death between 5 institutions has been signed and is an indicator of strong political will at the top level, every effort needs to be made to ensure this percolates down to the grassroots level. • Currently vital registration comes under the jurisdiction of the National Directorate of Civil Registration and Notary, under the MOJ.

10. 3. Source of CRVS • NSO Timor-Leste, Census and Surveys • Line Ministries - Ministry of Justice • Identification Card • Certification letter - Ministry of Health • Birth • Death - Ministry of State Administration

11. Example Question Derived from Census The Census (2010) contained a question about “How many live birth?” with the following subcategories: •  Date of last birth (month/year) •  Sex of last birth •  Is the last child alive •  Facility of delivery •  Assistance during delivery Further the Census also contained a question on Birth Registration, “ Does …… have a birth certificate. If NO, PROBE has (NAME)’s birth ever been registered with the civil authority?” • The following were the options for the answer: 1. Has RDTL birth certificate/any valid certificate 2. Registered by civil registration office 3. Registered in hospital 4. Registered in Suco   5. Registered in church 6. Registered in other places 7. Not registered 8. Don’t know

12. No similar question on Death registration is contained in the Census. But the census asked the basic question “ How many members of this household died in the last 12 months (11th July 2009- to date)? (In this household and not a relative who lived in another household).” • If somebody died, than the following subcategories need to be filled in:  Name of the deceased  Sex of the deceases  Age at Death  If the deceased was female 15 years and over, did (name) die…..?  During pregnancy  Giving birth  Within six weeks after delivery

13. Continue • Formulation of a credible strategic plan based on country consensus among all stakeholders for implementation of key recommendations. • Drafting detailed budget with cost estimates associated with each of the proposed activities. • Conduct a Key-Stakeholders meeting. The aim of this meeting is to gain broad approval and support for the strategic plan, so that implementation of improvements to the current vital statistics system can be begin.

14. 4. Challenges • Currently duplication of birth registrations also remains a major challenge. • Population census is being proposed to be conducted every 5 years, and the last census was done in 2010. • Going ahead fertility and mortality estimates and also the number of births and deaths in the population can be corrected using the census data.

15. 5. Registration Practices in Timor-Leste

20. Continued… • According to the National Directorate of Civil Registration and Notary for the year 2011 147,972 total births were registered and certified ( Appendix 11).

29. 6. Strategy General Directorate of Statistics for the future • The New Resolution of Establishment of a National Steering Committee in the capacity of providing direction, oversight and mandate to CRVS system in Timor-Leste • This committee will be comprised of key individuals involved in making decisions in relation to development of the CRVS vision. • The steering committee will coordinate, oversee implementation and monitor, evaluate activities on an ongoing basis.

30. Thank youObrigado