Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems

African Centre for Statistics

United Nations Economic Commission for AfricaUnited Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital

Statistics Systems

Forum on African Statistical DevelopmentSession III

17th January 2012Cape Town, South Africa

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Content

• Introduction• Improving CRVS in Africa• Moving Towards an African

Programme• APAI-CRVS• Development of CRVS plans at

county level• Funding CRVS at country level• Funding CRVS at regional level

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Civil Registration (CR)

Continuous, permanent, compulsory,

universal recording of the

occurrence and characteristics of

vital events in accordance with the

legal requirements in each country

Background

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Background…

Annulment

Judicial

separation

Adoption

Legitimizatio

n

Recognition

Events to be registered (UN recommendation)

Live birth

Death

Fœtal death Marriage

Divorce

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• Legal: proof of occurrence of the

event

• Administrative: assist (govt)

service provider to accomplish

their respective functions

• Statistical: best source of current

and continuous vital statistics

Some Functions of CR

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• Efficiency of public administration

services

• Protection of children/women from

abuses and exploitation

• Civil matters and criminal cases in

courts

• Provision of public health/education

services

• Provision of current and continuous

health and demographic statistics

• Measurement and monitoring of Dev.

efforts (MDGs)

Some Uses of CRVS Systems

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Improving CRVS in Africa

• CR is multi-disciplinary and could be improved only through a coordinated and holistic approach

• Improvement requires:Strong legislative provisionsAppropriate organization structureEfficient mngt and operations backed by

suitable M&E mechanismsPolitical commitment

• Regional framework to guide reforms and ensure sustainable progress in CRVS

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Moving Towards an African Programme

• First EGM in Dar-es-Salam (June

2009): Identified bottlenecks and planted the

seed for new approach

Highlighted the need for political

commitment from African countries

Mandated ECA, AfDB and AUC to

develop a Medium Term Plan (MTP)

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Moving Towards an African Programme…

• CoM Responsible for CR (August

2010):Committed to improve CRVS (country

and regional)Provided policy direction to the

regional agendaEndorsed the MTP and EGM to

finalize Requested for thorough assessment of

CRVS in all African CountriesAUC to institutionalize the CoM as a

standing platform ASSD for next five years to focus on

CRVS

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Moving Towards an African Programme…

• EGM (January 2011):

MTP reviewed and finalized

Ministers declarations converted

into implementation plan - Call

to Action

Assessment Questionnaire

reviewed

Development of the APAI-CRVS in

Africa

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APAI-CRVS: Objectives

• Brings together various CRVS initiatives into a common regional agenda

• Based on international P&R• Builds on political commitment and

policy directives of the CoM in charge of CR

• Objectives:Provide mngt and programmatic guidance to the

regional agenda for reforming CRVS systemsProvide guidance on institutional and operational

linkages, workflows, M&E in a more comprehensive and holistic manner

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APAI-CRVS: Strategic Directions

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• Country ownership and leadership

• Coordination between CR Authorities

and NSOs

• Systematic and coordinated approach

• Phased-based, holistic and integrated

approach

• Strong regional policy and advocacy fora

• Building capacities of national CRVS

focal institutions

• Promoting partnership at country and

regional levels

• Strengthening the regional CRVS

Secretariat at ECA

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APAI-CRVS – Institutional Arrangement

International standards, principles and recommendations on CRVS

Stat-Com-Africa Resolutions on CRVS

ASSD Resolutions on CRVS

International, regional and national instruments on and related to rights and privileges of persons, justice system administration, public administration, social and economic services, …

ECA

African Centre for Statistics (ACS)

CRVS Secretariat

CRVS Core Group

Development Partners

National Civil Registration Authorities and National Statistics

Offices

National Civil Registration Authorities and National Statistics

Offices

Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil

Registration (Standing Regional Forum)

Recommendations of EGMs, workshops, …

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APAI-CRVS – Implementation

Framework

ECAAfrican

Centre for Statistics

CRVS Regional Core Group

Pool of Experts

Regional Fora: •Conference of African Ministers on CRVS•Africa Symposium on Statistical Development

North West Central Eastern Southern

RECs, SROs, STCs, and other regional organizations

Countries in the sub-

region

Countries in the sub-region

Countries in the sub-region

Countries in the sub-region

Countries in the sub-region

Programmatic instruments: National CRVS Plans, programmes, policy decisions, resolutions, recommendations, guidelines, manuals….Regional declarations,

resolutions, recommendations, policy

decisions, plans, programmes, guidelines,

manuals, …

Declarations, resolutions, recommendations, policy decisions, plans, programmes, …

UN Statistics Division (UNSD)

CRVS Secretariat

DevelopmentPartners

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Development of CRVS Plans: Country Level

• Every country needs to develop LT and MT

plans based on clear set of strategies for

accelerated improvement on CRVS

• Plan should have clear goals and measurable

targets

• Plan should address systemic issues such as

legal, organizational, management and

capacity development and should be project

based (eg. Campaign)

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Development of CRVS Plans: Country Level

• Plan based on comprehensive assessment of the CRVS

• Developed in consultation with all stakeholders and interested development partners

• Have clear set of activities with timelines and should be appropriately costed

• M&E system should be an integral part of the plan

• A responsible agency (or agencies) should identified for execution of each of the activity

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Funding CRVS: Country Level

• CRVS is a routine government function and

needs to be primarily funded through

government budgets

• Partners may support the plan developed by the

country for the accelerated improvement of

CRVS

• CRVS is a LT engagement and may not produce

immediate results – it is about reforming and

revamping of governance

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Funding CRVS: Country Level

• Multi-faceted nature of CR system should help in fundraising (e.g. national identity scheme/project)

• Funding mechanism can be chosen country’s requirements and based on ease of execution

• Plan can either be funded through a pooled fund or each agency (or a group of agencies) can fund specific activities of the plan based on their comparative strengths

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Funding CRVS: Regional Level

• Categories of MTP activities:Advocacy for orienting countries towards

adopting a more holistic and integrated

approach Developing operational guidelines and manuals

on CRVSImproving technical capacities of countriesMonitoring of the MTP

• All activities are have timelines and are costed

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Funding CRVS: Regional Level

• ECA as a the Secretariat has provision for CRVS incl. under a Development Account Project

• Chief of DSS is leading the Programme with support of the regional adviser supported by AfDB

• UNFPA, UNICEF and UNHCR do support ASSD

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Funding CRVS: Regional Level

• Areas that need immediate support:Strengthening the Secretariat with

staff Creation of pool of experts to

Support countries in undertaking

comprehensive assessments

Support countries in development of MTPs

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Thanks