Improving Civil Registration System in Africa: Lessons Learned and Future Strategies

1. Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System in Africa- Towards enhanced Regional Coordination and Cooperation Learning from past mistakes and changing gears Meeting of Experts on Post-Ministerial Conference Activities on CRVS in Africa 17-21 January 2011 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Raj Gautam Mitra Chief, Demographic and Social Statistics Section,

2. Past efforts made by Regional and International agencies UNFPA – late 70s’ to early 90s’ Project based – testing pilots, creating models Was not sustainable Lack of country ownership 2

3. Past efforts made by Regional and International agencies In 1990s the UN adopted the International Program for Accelerating the Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) A series of Handbooks (eight) were prepared which were very comprehensive and dealt with each and every aspect of CRVS in the late nineties A number of training programmes were held Not much impact in the African Region 3

4. What have been the challenges? • Regional organization did not play a pro-active role in promoting CRVS in the members countries • The Guidelines (PARIS 21) developed for National Strategies for Development of Statistics (NSDS) did not directly address CRVS • Donors not interested as it does not show immediate outcomes or impacts – long term engagement • Little or no interest among the academicians as it does not produce immediately usable data – more prominence to unconventional methods/indirect techniques 4

5. What have been the challenges? • Lack of Country ownership and leadership • Lack of proper legal framework, weak operations and management functions in CRVS • Inadequate interfacing between civil registration system and national statistical system • Inadequate capacity in administering and implementing CRVS 5

6. What needs to be done? At Country level • Secure country ownership and leadership - at political level • Set up a high level coordination mechanism at national level • Undertake comprehensive country assessment • Prepare costed and time bound national action plan in line with the International principles and recommendations and regional guidelines 6

7. What needs to be done? At International/ Regional level • Provide a standing regional platform at political level for addressing policy issues, develop agenda for action and track progress • Support countries in undertaking comprehensive assessments • Support countries in developing National Action Plan 7

8. What needs to be done? At Country level • Address Structural issues - legal, management and operations, technical (including statistical issues) which are all interlinked – adopt a more holistic approach • Innovations in processes • Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation framework • Implementing programmes for clearing of backlogs 8

9. What needs to be done? At International/ Regional level • Develop regional operational guidelines on all aspects of CRVS in line with UN principles and recommendations • Provide platforms for exchanges of learning – good practices and failures • Support training activities 9

10. Current Initiatives and way forward • Regional leadership – Tanzania Regional Workshop and Conference of African Ministers of Civil Registration (MCCR) • Strengthened Regional Cooperation and Coordination • Initiated preparation of operational guidelines • CRVS as focus in next five African Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD) • Medium Term Action Plan (endorsed by MCCR) • Call to Action based on declaration of MCCR A long term programme based holistic approach

11. Thank you! African Centre for Statistics Visit us athttp://ecastats.uneca.org/acsweb/