By Amin Kef Sesay – 13th August 2019
It has been disclosed that the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is committed to supporting the mobilization of resources required to support the implementation of Sierra Leone’s strategic plan which aims to strengthen the country’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and ID management system.
This will make the system to function efficiently in supporting public administration, good governance and service delivery.
This was said by Oliver Chinganya, Director of the ECA’s Africa Centre for Statistics, at an event commemorating the second Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day which also marked the official launch of the Comprehensive Country Assessment and the costed National CRVS Strategic Plan in Sierra Leone.
The ECA Director praised Sierra Leone’s President, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, and his government for their commitment to strengthening the nation’s national CRVS system following the fundamental principles of Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics that have governed CRVS reform in Africa.
“Marking the second Africa CRVS Day with the official launch of the costed national CRVS and ID Management Strategic Plan 2019-2024 and the Comprehensive Country Assessment Report on CRVS System in Sierra Leone that seeks to pursue the very purpose for which this day was set aside is truly gratifying and confirms the significance of the regional initiative set up almost 10 years ago,” said Mr. Chinganya.
Sierra Leone’s CRVS System, he said, is exceptional like in a few other African countries. It has a system integrating CRVS and ID which is in line with the ECA’s guidelines and international best practice.
The programme is country-driven, with oversight by ministers responsible for civil registration.
“This is an initiative of countries that the ECA and other regional bodies such as the African Union and the African Development Bank are facilitating through technical and financial support. At the regional level, we have a truly collaborative effort, with not only our regional organizations but also the United Nations and international NGOs partnering as a core group promoting and supporting the process at regional and country levels,” said Mr. Chinganya.
At international level, he said, the global CRVS Group and the United Nations Statistics Division are supportive of these initiatives, recognizing their importance towards achieving the 2030 Development Agenda.
“CRVS systems, when fully developed, also contribute to the evidence-base for the African Union Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. As a result of this partnership, the CRVS systems improvement programme exemplifies the kind of collaboration that makes programming effective and achieve the desired outcome,” the ECA Director added.
At the ECA, Mr. Chinganya said, they follow closely the progress being registered by member States towards the implementation of the regional agenda for improving CRVS and ID management.
“We commend the Government of Sierra Leone for the commitment it has shown since the first Conference of Ministers responsible for civil registration that was held in Addis Ababa, to implement the resolutions of the Ministers. With the assessment and costed plan now completed, the major task of implementation now comes to the fore,” he said.
Mr. Chinganya added that Sierra Leone now needs to take bold steps to advance the programme as envisaged, including substantial investments – human, technical and financial – for smooth implementation and to make it sustainable.
Meanwhile, Togo’s Minister of Territorial Administration of Decentralization and Local Authorities of Togo, Payadowa Boukpessi, has announced at the launch of the Second Africa CRVS Day the extension of the mandatory registration period of births in the country from 30 to 45 days after the delivery.
The fourth Conference of Ministers held in December 2017 in Nouakchott, Mauritania, declared August 10 the African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day and advised member States to observe the day.
The first CRVS Day was observed on the 10th of August 2018 under the theme; “Promoting Innovative Universal Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System for Good Governance and Better Lives”.
The second CRVS Day will be commemorated on Saturday 10 August under the theme; “Birth Certificate for All: Fundamental for Protecting Human Rights and Promoting Inclusion”.
