Zambia seeks to boost CRVS

ZAMBIA is working towards implementing an integrated national registration information system, in form of a platform which will use a unique identifier from birth to death, Minister of Home Affairs, Stephen Kampyongo has said.

And Mr Kampyongo said lack of proper identity of individuals increases their vulnerability with regard to access social services and may lead to Statelessness.

The minister said this in Lusaka yesterday when he addressed the local and international press on the Fifth Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration.

Mr Kampyongo who implored journalists and other key stakeholders to share the deliberations of the conference, said there was need for concerted effort towards providing a legal identity for all in Africa.

He said Zambia was looking forward to learning best practices on the optimal use of technology in enhancing Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS).

The minister said Zambia was committed to identifying management through a holistic approach that strengthens institutional mechanisms for accelerated improvement of civil registration, vital statistics and management systems.

Mr Kampyongo said the theme of the conference which is , “Innovation Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System: Foundation for Legal Identity Management” was timely as African countries were striving to achieve the aspirations of sustainable development goal (SDG) target 16.9 which seeks to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration by 2030.

He noted with concern the reports by the World Bank that about 1.5 billion people lack proof of legal identity out of which, about half lived in Africa.