(Newsletter: CRVS Insight April 2020)

Maintaining operational continuity of CRVS systems is always important. An individual’s legal identity remains of crucial importance during public health emergencies. Individuals need to be able to prove who they are to access public services such as health care, humanitarian assistance, financial aid and other social services. Children who are not registered at birth due to disruptions, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, are particularly vulnerable. Because of the reliability and timeliness of vital statistics derived from a well-functioning civil registration systems policy makers can create informed and targeted responses to areas in need. As a result, the UN Legal Identity Agenda Task Force  has worked with the Economic Commission for Africa, ESCAP and SPC to produce guidelines for Maintaining Civil Registration and Vital Statistics during COVID-19.

The same group also distributed a very short survey to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functioning of civil registration worldwide, provide information regarding national solutions and provide a forum for exchange of experiences. In Asia and the Pacific, the questionnaire was sent to the national CRVS focal points.

A similar survey was launched with a focus on census, the results of which can be found here.