New page opens for birth registration in Ghana as instruction manual validated

A guiding document which outlines a number of novelties in Ghana’s birth and death registration system was recently validated by stakeholders, paving the way for a new CRVS experience in the country.

According to the Ghana News Agency, the new instruction manual, which was okayed recently during a multi-stakeholder workshop, will ensure that civil registration is conducted in an accurate, seamless and secure manner.

Representatives from government ministries and agencies and development partner organizations took part in the design and validation of the manual. Some of the entities include Local Government and Local Development Ministry, the National Identification Authority (NIA), the Ghana Health Services (GHS), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Health facilities will push death records and birth registrations to the registry.

The head of the Ghana Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) Henrietta Lamptey says the new manual will be of great benefit to citizens and will ensure that births and deaths are recorded promptly via a reliable system that meets international standards.

The document, which Lamptey calls a “comprehensive guide,” places a strong “emphasis on data quality, privacy and security, addressing the evolving technological landscape and the need for robust data protection measures.”

Appreciating all the stakeholders who contributed to the elaboration of the document, the BDR Registrar says the move aligns with government’s efforts in setting up a stronger and inclusive CRVS system, and called on Ghanaians to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  birth registration  |  CRVS  |  data protection  |  Ghana  |  legal identity  |  SDG 16.9  |  UNECA