As part of the Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative, the World Bank Group addresses technical aspects of civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) in four recent publications.
 

Civil registration is integral to the Indonesian government’s current poverty-reduction strategy, both for its ability to confer legal identity to citizens and as the principal source of the country’s vital statistics. Unfortunately, ownership of key civil registration documents, such as birth certificates and death certificates, remains exceptionally low, and governments are often unable to access timely, reliable, and comprehensive vital statistics.

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In this Series paper, the authors examine whether well functioning civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are associated with improved population health outcomes. They present a conceptual model connecting CRVS to wellbeing, and describe an ecological association between CRVS and health outcomes. The conceptual model posits that the legal identity that civil registration provides to individuals is key to access entitlements and services. Vital statistics produced by CRVS systems provide essential information for public health policy and prevention.

Registration practices refer to all the actions that need to take place from the notification of an event, to its registration with the appropriate civil registry authorities, through to the issue of a certified document. Examples of best practice for birth and death registration include making it a legal requirement to register; no fee for registration; and clearly defining roles and responsibilities of various agents.

This comprehensive assessment reviewed the main aspects of Cambodia's Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system using the WHO guidance tool. These include the legal and regulatory framework; registration, certification and coding practices; and the compilation, tabulation and use of the resulting data. The focus throughout the assessment was on births, deaths and causes of death, because these are fundamental to guide public health programes, monitor population dynamics and measure key health indicators.

This handbook provides those working on birth registration with the background, general principles and programming process. The guide is divided into three main chapters: Understanding birth registration in the context of civil registration sets the scene for the rest of the guide, discussing why birth registration matters in the lives of children and provides an overview of what birth registration is and the international framework that governs its implementation.

This handbook contains instructions for physicians on cause-of-death certification. It was prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). These instructions pertain to the 2003 revision of the U.S. Standard Certificate of Death and the 1992 revision of the Model StateVital Statistics Act and Regulations. This handbook serves as a model that can be adapted by any vital statistics registration area.

This capacity-building tool has been produced by the Health Information Systems Knowledge Hub of the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland. This handbook aims to guide doctors in filling out death certificates. This handbook is designed to be a readily accessible resource that doctors can consult rapidly and easily. These are generic guidelines about how to certify the cause of death, written for doctors and medical students, particularly in developing countries.

The New South Wales Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (“the Registry”) is reviewing the content of birth certificates in Australia. This review is being undertaken for the following reasons: To examine changes in how birth certificates are used; in consideration of how birth certificates can best reflect the changing composition of families in Australia; and in response to recommendations of the Senate Community Affairs Committee inquiry into the Commonwealth’s role in former adoption policies and practices.