Coordination and Technology

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

The civil registration agency must submit statistical information collected during registration to the national statistics authority in order for the agency to compile and publish vital statistics. The law should therefore require and enable the regular and timely sharing of data needed for statistical purposes between the civil registration and statistics agency or agencies.

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

The use of computers, tablets and other electronic devices should be permitted for the collection of data for vital events, and it should be permitted for these data to be transmitted between government agencies and officials with the use of mobile technology or the Internet. Some older laws block the use of technology by requiring manual forms or processes,. Laws should enable technology. However, laws be technology neutral and not specify the method and mode of collection, transmission and storage of data in any civil registration system, as this may prevent system upgrades overtime.

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

To achieve coordination, cooperation, and interoperability amongst various government agencies that govern civil registration, vital statistics compilation and identity management, a stakeholder coordination mechanism should be established. This coordination mechanism can take the form of an inter-agency civil registration, vital statistics and identity management committee, with representatives from each of the stakeholder agencies. Alternatively, a stakeholder coordination mechanism can be a single government agency empowered to coordinate the activities of civil registration, vital statistics and identity management stakeholders and oblige stakeholders to collaborate with the coordinating entity.