Summary

Tunisia

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Tunisia Summary

Tunisia

Civil Registration System

In Tunisia, the Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Local Public Authorities, is responsible for overseeing municipal activities, including civil registration. The Ministry of Justice, Directorate General for Civil Affairs, also is responsible for monitoring civil registration. Local officials are the civil registration officers within their jurisdiction. Tunisia’s Law No. 1957-3 of 1957 on Civil Status is not a modern law. Under the Law on Civil Status, a civil status officer has the power to register births, deaths and marriages, and issue certificates. Corrections and the addition of omitted information require a court order. 

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

Yes. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Local Public Authorities and Ministry of Justice, Directorate General for Civil Affairs.

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

To some extent

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

Municipality (Commune) 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 civil registrar 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?

No

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

Yes a right to and process for appeal is provided for

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?

Yes

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

Unclear

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?

No
Birth Registration

Tunisia’s primary legislation governing birth registration is Law No. 1957-3 of 1957 on Civil Status. Birth registration is universal under this law. It does not address fees for on time registration. We understand that in practice there is no fee.  Under the law, the father is the primary informant, and the health sector is an alternate informant. In practice, the health sector usually issues a "medical certificate of birth" to the parent as evidence of birth for use in civil registration. 

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?

No live birth is not defined by law

Where must births be reported?

Unclear

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

10 days

Are there any fees for on-time birth registration?

No

Is the original birth certificate provided free of charge?

Unclear

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

Father

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

Father

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

Yes

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 Law No. 1957-3 of 1957 on Civil Status and Ministry of Public Health Decree No. 99-1043 of 17 May 1999 are the principal instruments governing death registration in Tunisia. That decree establishes the model for the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) and the information it must contain, requiring the doctor who certifies cause of death to complete the entire MCCD. It was modified in 2020. For in facility deaths, the Law on Civil Status makes the health sector a notifier. However, under the decree, the health sector only issues evidence of death. The latter is what happens in practice.  Death registration is universal and free for deaths occurring in Tunisia. 

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

Yes

Where must deaths be reported?

Place of residence

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

Unclear

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

3 days

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?

Nearest relative

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

Yes

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
Stillbirth Reporting

The law does not define fetal death or address criteria for stillbirth. Stillbirths are registered through the civil registration system. Pursuant to a Circular No. 85 of the Secretary of State for Justice and the Secretary of State for the Interior of December 12, 1965, stillbirths are registered in the death register. The health sector’s role is issuing evidence of stillbirth.  

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

No

Does the law provide a definition of, or criteria for stillbirth? If yes, does the definition of or criteria for stillbirth accord with international guidelines?

Yes

What system(s) are used to report stillbirths?

Civil registration

Is stillbirth registration available and compulsory for all stillbirths occurring within the country's jurisdiction?

Compulsory for all stillbirths

Who is the designated primary informant for declaring stillbirths to the civil registrar?

Any parent

What is the role of the health sector in stillbirth registration?

Issuing of evidence of stillbirth

Where must stillbirths be reported?

Place of residence of mother

Are there any fees for stillbirth registration?

No

Does the civil register contain a separate register for stillbirths, distinct from birth and death registers?

No

Does the law mandate reporting of all stillbirths through the health sector?

Not permitted

Does the law require or request medical certification of cause of death for stillbirths? If yes, does the medical certificate of cause of death used, accord with the WHO MCCD form?

MCCD not required
Cause of Death

The Law on Civil Status 1957 and Ministry of Public Health Decree No. 99-1043 of 17 May 1999 govern cause of death certification. Under that decree, a doctor who confirms a death completes the medical certificate of cause of death and seals the confidential section reserved for causes of death. In a criminal investigation, the Code of Criminal Procedure authorizes an investigating judge to order expert examinations, which includes an autopsy.    

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

No

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 does not accord 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?

No

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

No
Vital Statistics

In Tunisia, the National Institute of Statistics is responsible for statistical coordination and demographic and social statistics, including vital statistics, except for mortality statistics. The National Institute of Public Health is responsible for mortality statistics.  

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

Yes. National Institute 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)?

No

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

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

Partially