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The centralized civil registration system of Sri Lanka is the responsibility of the Registrar General's Department, with registrar’s divisions in the 332 Divisional Secretariats, for a total close to one thousand registration divisions. The current civil registration system is based on a 1951 law, last amended in 2008. Vital statistics are compiled at the Statistics Branch of the Registrar General’s Department from the birth and death returns provided by the Registrars of Births and Deaths. The legal time limit for birth and death registration is 3 months, and both acts are free of charge if done in time. Death registration is now mandatory to obtain a funeral permit.
A lot of the births happening in health facilities, with an estimated 97.2% of children between 0 and 5 years old registered in 2006–2007. However, since only 50% of deaths occur in such facilities, some deaths are not registered, and even more do not have a proper cause of death defined. Other challenges include the proper declaration of still-births, and the problem of child marriage.
To face these problems, Sri Lanka has widely implemented verbal autopsy methods, to have a better image of cause of deaths which occur outside of health facilities. By increasing the collaboration between different stakeholders, the country has also managed to produce its vital statistics reports in a timely manner. A population e-register, with a unique identification number, is now being piloted, to prepare for a wider implementation.
Mr. P.V. Gunathilaka, Commissioner General, Department for Registrations of Persons
Mr. K.S.R.L. Senadeera, Deputy Director (Statistics), Vital Statistics Unit, Department of Register General
Goal 1. Universal civil registration of births, deaths and other vital events |
Goal 1 Targets:
Goal 2. All individuals are provided with legal documentation of civil registration of births, deaths and other vital events, as necessary, to claim identity, civil status and ensuing rights |
Goal 2 Targets:
Goal 3. Accurate, complete and timely vital statistics (including on causes of death) are produced based on registration records and are disseminated |
Goal 3 Targets:
Goal 1. Universal civil registration of births, deaths and other vital events |
Goal 1 is an expression of the internationally accepted principle of the universal coverage of civil registration. The CRVS system should register all vital events occurring in the territory and jurisdiction of the country or area, including among hard-to-reach and marginalized populations.
National Targets:
Note: This country has not submitted estimates for the number of births for all years. The level of completeness of birth registration was therefore assessed with international estimates for every year, to allow comparison. These measurements are therefore to be interpreted with caution.
BASELINE
201497%
MIDTERM
201898%
MIDTERM
200797.2%
Note: This country has not submitted estimates for the number of deaths for all years. The level of completeness of death registration was therefore assessed with international estimates for every year, to allow comparison. These measurements are therefore to be interpreted with caution.
baseline
201496%
MIDTERM
201899%
Goal 2. All individuals are provided with legal documentation of civil registration of births, deaths and other vital events, as necessary, to claim identity, civil status and ensuing rights |
Goal 2 reflects that CRVS systems provide legal documentation of civil registration to individuals and families for legal and administrative purposes. Legal documentation is strongly linked with a broad range of rights and activities, in particular legal identity. This goal addresses the distinction between the civil registration of a vital event and the possession of formal proof that it took place, in the form of legal documentation.
National Targets:
baseline
2013100%
MIDTERM
2015100%
baseline
2013100%
MIDTERM
2014100%
Goal 3. Accurate, complete and timely vital statistics (including on causes of death) are produced based on registration records and are disseminated |
Goal 3 highlights the critical importance of civil registration being linked to the production and quality assurance of vital statistics on the occurrence and characteristics of vital events.
National Targets:
TARGET
Target achieved
TARGET
Target achieved
Note: This target was not monitored as part of the Midterm Questionnaire on the Implementation of the Regional Action Framework for CRVS in Asia and the Pacific.
baseline
201333%
MIDTERM
201432.5%
Note: In light of recent countries’ experiences, Verbal autopsy is not encouraged to be applied to a large population scale, but rather on a representative sample. To reflect this, Target 3E is not anymore monitored by the coverage percentage of Verbal autopsy, but by the use or not of Verbal autopsy and its different applications.
MIDTERM
Yes
TARGET
Target achieved
TARGET
Target achieved

National Coordination Mechanism
Status in Sri Lanka: No data

Comprehensive Assessment
Status in Sri Lanka: No data

National Targets for 2024
Status in Sri Lanka: Not started

Monitoring & Reporting Plan
Status in Sri Lanka: No data

Inequality Assessment
Status in Sri Lanka: No data

National Strategy
Status in Sri Lanka: No data

National Focal Point
Status in Sri Lanka: Complete

Reporting to ESCAP - Baseline
Status in Sri Lanka: Not started

Reporting to ESCAP - Midterm
Status in Sri Lanka: Complete
The centralized civil registration system of Sri Lanka is the responsibility of the Registrar General's Department, with registrar’s divisions in the 332 Divisional Secretariats, for a total close to one thousand registration divisions. The current civil registration system is based on a 1951 law, last amended in 2008. Vital statistics are compiled at the Statistics Branch of the Registrar General’s Department from the birth and death returns provided by the Registrars of Births and Deaths. The legal time limit for birth and death registration is 3 months, and both acts are free of charge if done in time. Death registration is now mandatory to obtain a funeral permit.
A lot of the births happening in health facilities, with an estimated 97.2% of children between 0 and 5 years old registered in 2006–2007. However, since only 50% of deaths occur in such facilities, some deaths are not registered, and even more do not have a proper cause of death defined. Other challenges include the proper declaration of still-births, and the problem of child marriage.
To face these problems, Sri Lanka has widely implemented verbal autopsy methods, to have a better image of cause of deaths which occur outside of health facilities. By increasing the collaboration between different stakeholders, the country has also managed to produce its vital statistics reports in a timely manner. A population e-register, with a unique identification number, is now being piloted, to prepare for a wider implementation.
Mr. P.V. Gunathilaka, Commissioner General, Department for Registrations of Persons
Mr. K.S.R.L. Senadeera, Deputy Director (Statistics), Vital Statistics Unit, Department of Register General