(Newsletter: CRVS Insight March 2021)

Each month, our community newsletter puts a spotlight on one person from Asia-Pacific who has gone above and beyond in their efforts to support CRVS programmes, raise awareness of CRVS issues or lead CRVS improvement efforts in their home country. This month we are happy to highlight Ms. Ani Mkhitaryan from Armenia.

What is your current title and role?

I am the head of the Civil Status Acts Registration Agency (CSAR) of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia. I coordinate the work of civil status acts registration in Armenia and partnerships in this field with other countries.

Can you please share with us a particular experience which highlighted the importance of CRVS to you?

So, I have been working at the Agency since 2014 and over the years there have been many circumstances that have confirmed the importance of CRVS. But the last year for us was really particular… It was very difficult to provide birth and death registrations in total lock down. But the Agency worked non-stop to ensure no one will have future problems with their registrations, legal documents and social benefits, and also to ensure current information was provided to the Statistic crevice. Despite the difficult circumstances - it was done!

How are you currently involved in CRVS improvements?

As the head of Agency I am the responsible person for improving and developing the civil status acts registration in Armenia. During this year all the development programs created by the Agency were approved by our Government and National Assembly. We made many changes in the legislation, trying to make registrations more accessible, more digital and very simple.

In 2015 the Minister of Justice established an interagency working group as the national coordination mechanism for CRVS.

The working group included representatives from Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Regional Government and Local Self-governing bodies, the State statistics Agency and Passport Department. We are still working together and it has resulted in us solving many problems by collaborating and sharing information.

How would you like to see CRVS in Armenia develop by the end of the CRVS Decade?

Starting from 2014 all the types of registrations in Armenia are implemented by the CSAR integrated electronic registration system. As a result, all civil and vital events are registered only by this system. This electronic system is also linked to other government departments and structures and thus provides possibility for the transmission of information to the Statistical Service and other stakeholders. From 2019 all civil status certificates and references are electronic and after every registration the electronic system send it to the mail of the applicant. In 2020 we established a new electronic system for online application for copy of certificates and references. I hope that we will develop all our digital tools and give the opportunity for online applications for every registration. Which would make the registration process very fast and simple.

Which advice would you give to others trying to improve CRVS systems?

Never give up, even if you are one and only who wants to change, develop and improve it!!!