African Ministers propose 2015-2024 as decade of civil registeration – ECA

CRVSmeetingAfrican Ministers responsible for civil registration have proposed a decade of in which ‘no country should be left behind’ in the effort to register all births and vital events on the continent, a press release from the Economic Commission for Africa has said.

The resolution was part of recommendations made at the 3rd Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registeration in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast February 12-13, 2015.

According to the press release, Ministers from African countries have agreed to launch a Decade of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), covering 2015 to 2024, with the goal of “leaving no child out” and “no country behind” in the effort to register all births and vital events in Africa.

The recommnedations of the conference, the release said, includes strengthening the capacity of the Secretariat of the Africa Programme on improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI-CRVS); establishing strong links with the health sector to improve registration of births and deaths including improving death  and causes of death information at country level ; establishing strong linkages between civil registration and national identity systems; and developing guidelines for mainstreaming gender issues in CRVS systems and for managing CRVS in conflict and emergency situations.

The theme for the conference was “Promoting the use of civil registration and vital statistics in support of good governance in Africa”, which recognized the significance of CRVS as a tool to facilitate development with all that entails, from honoring human rights starting with the right to identity, to enhancing economic opportunity and Africa’s commitment to regional integration, the release noted.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

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