Summary

Civil Registration System

The primary legislation on civil registration is the Law on Birth and Death Record, and Creating Birth Certificates and National Identity Cards. Pursuant to this law, Island and City Councils are responsible for registration of births and deaths. The Department of National Registration (DNR) collects civil registration data from all councils and maintains this data in a national database. The DNR is also responsible for establishing penalties for violations of the Law; ensuring confidentiality of registration information; establishing a complaint resolution mechanism; and formulating and implementing regulations.

Does the law designate a national level agency responsible for civil registration?

Yes

Does the law provide for a uniform process to complete civil registrations across the country?

Yes

At what level of civil division are primary registration offices located?

Island and City Level

Does the law establish, or authorize the establishment of, secondary civil registration offices under the jurisdiction of the primary civil registration office?

No

Is the local civil registrar empowered by law to register vital events? If yes, do they have the power to issue certificates of registration?

Yes, the local registrar is empowered to register vital events and issue certificates

Does the law require the local civil registration office to transmit registration records to the national civil registration authority on a regular and timely basis?

Yes

Does the law provide for a right and a process to appeal a decision of a civil registrar?

Yes a right to appeal is provided for but no process is specified

Does the law authorize the local civil registrar to use mobile registration to reach remote or rural areas?

No

Does the law require that the civil registration authority share data with the agency responsible for producing vital statistics, on a regular and timely basis?

Unclear

Does the law block the use of technology, such as electronic collection, transmission and storage of data, within the civil registration system?

No

Is there a national coordinating committee to address issues on the functioning of the civil registration system and its integration with other systems, such as the health sector, vital statistics, national identity system, medicolegal death investigation, and others?

Yes

Birth Registration

The primary legislation on birth registration is the Law on Birth and Death Record, and Creating Birth Certificates and National Identity Cards. Birth registration is universal and compulsory; the law does not address fees. There are clear registration procedures set out in the law. The role of informants and the health sector (for in-facility births) is clearly defined.

Is birth registration available and compulsory for all births occurring within the country's jurisdiction?

Yes

Does the law provide a clear definition of live birth? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

Yes live birth is defined by law and accords with international guidelines

Where must births be reported?

Place of occurrence

What are the reporting periods for birth registration specified in law?

7 days

Are there any fees for on-time birth registration?

No

Is the original birth certificate provided free of charge?

Yes

Who is designated as the primary informant for births occurring in health facilities?

Either parent

Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring outside health facilities?

Either parent

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed birth registration?

No

Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth registration for every child born in the country?

UPI assigned at birth registration but only to citizens

Death Registration

The primary legislation on death registration is the Law on Birth and Death Record, and Creating Birth Certificates and National Identity Cards. Death registration is universal and compulsory; the law does not address fees. There are clear registration procedures set out in the law. The role of informants and the health sector (for in-facility births) is clearly defined.

Is death registration available and compulsory for all events occurring in the country's jurisdiction?

Yes

Where must deaths be reported?

Place of occurrence

Does the law provide a clear definition of death? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

No death is not defined by law

What are the reporting time periods for death registration specified in the law?

Unclear

Who is designated as the primary informant for natural deaths that occur in a health facility?

Unclear

Are there any fees for on-time death registration?

No

Who is designated primary informant for natural deaths occurring outside a health facility?

Unclear

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed death registration?

No

What role do local leaders or local authorities have in the registration process for deaths that occur in the community?

Does the law link retirment of a UPI and/or identity credential to death registration?

Yes

Is the original death certificate provided free of charge?

Yes

Cause of Death

Law on Birth and Death Record, and Creating Birth Certificates and National Identity Cards provides a process for all deaths in the Maldives, whether occurring in or outside of a health facility, to have a medical certificate of cause of death.

Does the law require a cause of death (CoD) to register a death?

Yes medical certificate of cause of death required

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death, for natural deaths occurring in a health facility?

Yes

Does the law designate a certifier of cause of death, for natural deaths occurring under medical supervision but outside a health facility?

Yes

Does the law provide a form to certify cause of death? If yes, does the form accord with WHO Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Form?

Yes the law provides a form for certifying cause of death that accords with WHO standard MCCD Form

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death when deaths are unnatural or suspicious, or otherwise referred to the MLDI authority?

No

Does the standard form death certificate include cause of death information?

Does the law allow for the use of verbal autopsy when there is no MCCD?

No

Medicolegal Death Investigation

The Maldives has a law enforcement-led medicolegal death investigation system. Under the Police Services Act of 2020, the police have the power to request the performance of an autopsy in furtherance of a criminal investigation. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the police also have broad powers to investigate crimes. There is no independent medical examiner or coroner system. Autopsies and other forensic services are performed by licensed forensics units within healthcare facilities.

Who is designated as the primary informant for unnatural or suspicious deaths?

Other

What type of medicolegal death investigation (MLDI) system does the country have?

Law Enforcement Led System

Does the law clearly state what types of cases must be referred to the MLDI authority and is this in accordance with international guidance?

Not clearly defined

Does the law mandate that law enforcement and/or heads of custodial institutions report all deaths in custody to the medicolegal death investigation authority?

No

For a death referred to the MLDI system, does the law specify how cause of death information is transmitted to the civil registrar and/or statistics agency?

Unclear

Vital Statistics

Under the Law on Birth and Death Record, and Creating Birth Certificates and National Identity Cards, the Ministry of Health is responsible for generating and publishing statistics on births and deaths. Under the Statistics Act (2021), the Maldives Bureau of Statistics is responsible for generation of statistics in general. The two entities collaborate on generation of vital statistics.

Does the legal framework designate the entity or entities responsible for compiling vital statistics in the country?

Yes, Ministry of Health and Bureau of Statistics.

Are vital statistics derived from the civil registration system?

Yes

Are there clear procedures and timeframes in the legal framework to facilitate sharing data from the civil registration agency to the national statistics agency(ies)?

Unclear

Does the law require that civil registration data be anonymized before it is shared with the national statistics agency(ies)?

Unclear

Are vital statistics compiled centrally?

Yes

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at birth registration?

Partially

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at death registration?

Partially

Coming Soon

Disclaimer / Limitations

Maldives

Maldives

Does the law designate a national level agency responsible for civil registration?

Does the law provide for a uniform process to complete civil registrations across the country?

At what level of civil division are primary registration offices located?

Does the law establish, or authorize the establishment of, secondary civil registration offices under the jurisdiction of the primary civil registration office?

Is the local civil registrar empowered by law to register vital events? If yes, do they have the power to issue certificates of registration?

Does the law require the local civil registration office to transmit registration records to the national civil registration authority on a regular and timely basis?

Does the law provide for a right and a process to appeal a decision of a civil registrar?

Does the law authorize the local civil registrar to use mobile registration to reach remote or rural areas?

Does the law require that the civil registration authority share data with the agency responsible for producing vital statistics, on a regular and timely basis?

Does the law block the use of technology, such as electronic collection, transmission and storage of data, within the civil registration system?

Is there a national coordinating committee to address issues on the functioning of the civil registration system and its integration with other systems, such as the health sector, vital statistics, national identity system, medicolegal death investigation, and others?

Is birth registration available and compulsory for all births occurring within the country's jurisdiction?

Does the law provide a clear definition of live birth? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

Where must births be reported?

What are the reporting periods for birth registration specified in law?

Are there any fees for on-time birth registration?

Is the original birth certificate provided free of charge?

Who is designated as the primary informant for births occurring in health facilities?

Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring outside health facilities?

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed birth registration?

Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth registration for every child born in the country?

Is death registration available and compulsory for all events occurring in the country's jurisdiction?

Where must deaths be reported?

Does the law provide a clear definition of death? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

What are the reporting time periods for death registration specified in the law?

Who is designated as the primary informant for natural deaths that occur in a health facility?

Are there any fees for on-time death registration?

Who is designated primary informant for natural deaths occurring outside a health facility?

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed death registration?

What role do local leaders or local authorities have in the registration process for deaths that occur in the community?

Does the law link retirment of a UPI and/or identity credential to death registration?

Is the original death certificate provided free of charge?

Does the law require a cause of death (CoD) to register a death?

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death, for natural deaths occurring in a health facility?

Does the law designate a certifier of cause of death, for natural deaths occurring under medical supervision but outside a health facility?

Does the law provide a form to certify cause of death? If yes, does the form accord with WHO Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Form?

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death when deaths are unnatural or suspicious, or otherwise referred to the MLDI authority?

Does the standard form death certificate include cause of death information?

Does the law allow for the use of verbal autopsy when there is no MCCD?

Who is designated as the primary informant for unnatural or suspicious deaths?

What type of medicolegal death investigation (MLDI) system does the country have?

Does the law clearly state what types of cases must be referred to the MLDI authority and is this in accordance with international guidance?

Does the law mandate that law enforcement and/or heads of custodial institutions report all deaths in custody to the medicolegal death investigation authority?

For a death referred to the MLDI system, does the law specify how cause of death information is transmitted to the civil registrar and/or statistics agency?

Does the legal framework designate the entity or entities responsible for compiling vital statistics in the country?

Are vital statistics derived from the civil registration system?

Are there clear procedures and timeframes in the legal framework to facilitate sharing data from the civil registration agency to the national statistics agency(ies)?

Does the law require that civil registration data be anonymized before it is shared with the national statistics agency(ies)?

Are vital statistics compiled centrally?

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at birth registration?

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at death registration?

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected for stillbirths (either through civil registration or the Ministry of Health)?