Overcoming barriers to civil registration

Most countries have a CRVS system in place, yet many of them don’t function effectively. This is due to various legal, institutional, social, and/or cultural barriers. The highest barriers are usually faced by women, children, and the poor. These groups struggle to exercise their rights, gain social protection, and access basic services as a result. They also remain invisible to governments, who are unable to identify and respond to their needs.

The Centre of Excellence seeks to address these challenges and develop inclusive CRVS systems, with a particular focus on the barriers faced by women, children, and marginalized groups. We’re doing this by partnering with organizations and governments to generate research, exchange knowledge, and support capacity building.

Resources on the barriers to civil registration

Explore our expert papers below on the barriers to inclusive CRVS systems and potential solutions.

Papers

• Geographical and Gender Disparities in the Registration of Births, Marriages, and Deaths in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Burkina Faso (https://crvssystems.ca/sites/default/files/assets/files/WorkingPaperSeries_Issue1_Niamba_e_WEB.pdf) – This study aims to contribute to improving vital events coverage and completeness in Burkina Faso by highlighting factors and barriers that limit birth, marriage, and death registration
• A Literature Review of Demand-side Factors Related to the Registration of Births, Marriages, and Deaths (https://crvssystems.ca/sites/default/files/assets/images/Issue2_Demand%20side%20factors_e.pdf) – This paper examines vital events registration from a life course, rights-based, and whole-of-system perspective, with a focus on gender issues
• Constructing the foundations for legal identity in post conflict situations 
  Synthesis (https://systemesesec.ca/sites/default/files/assets/images/LegalID_Synthesis_e_WEB.pdf) or Full paper (https://systemesesec.ca/sites/default/files/assets/images/LegalIdentity_e_WEB.pdf) - This paper analyses the role of the civil register and the legal underpinnings for identity in four countries: Afghanistan, Georgia, Rwanda, and South Africa.