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OWOR LINZ NYACHWO

REGISTRAR CIVIL REGISTRATION

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Overview Legal regime Births and Deaths(Institutional framework, roles and responsibilities) Marriages (Institutional framework, roles and responsibilities) Adoptions Challenges

Outline

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Overview What is civil registrationo Official recording of vital civil events by the government.oEvents include births, deaths, marriages and adoption.oMandate of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB)Civil Registration at URSB is the mandate of the Directorate of Civil Registration.

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Legal and Institutional FrameworkRelevant laws

• Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, Article 18

• Uganda Registration Services Bureau Act, Laws of Uganda Chapter 210

• Children Act• Local Governments Act, 1997, Part 2,

Clause 14• Birth and Death Registration Act, 1973• Marriage Act (Cap 251)

“ The State shall register every birth, marriage and death occurring in Uganda”

Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Article 18

“The Uganda Registration Services Bureau is an autonomous statutory body with the mandate to carry out all registrations required under the laws of Uganda.”

URSB Act, Laws of Uganda Chapter 210

Registration Districts:• 135 Government, Missionary and

Industrial Hospitals,• 1,350 S/Cs, T/Cs and Divisions• Municipalities• The City of Kampala• 218 HCIVs have been gazetted as

registration districts

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Hon. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs• Policy formulationAttorney General:Appoints Registrars and designates registration districts Registrar General:Issues long birth and death certificatesReceives returns from districts and hospitalsIssues registration materials to all registration DistrictsCertification of documents in his custodyCollects Non Tax Revenue (NTR) on behalf of Gov’t;

Roles and Responsibilities

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CAOs/District Headquarters Forward returns to Registrar General

Sub County/Kampala Capital City Authority/Town Council/Hospital/Health Centre IVs

Register births and deaths and maintain records thereof

Collect NTRForward returns to the Chief Administrative Officer

for onward transmission to the Registrar General.

Cont’d…

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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

a) Births and Deaths The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the 1997 Local Government Act as amended brought in decentralization. As such, activities in the BDR campaign follow a national harmonized model of birth and death registration.

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INSTITUTIONS

Ministry of Finance

Uganda Bureau of Statistics

Ministry of Justice / Attorney General

URSB

BDR National Task Force

District Local Governments

Sub counties/ Town Councils/ Municipalities, Health Centre IVs

Parish

Village Notifiers

Government, Missionary and Industrial Hospitals

Ministry of Health

National/ Regional Referral Hospitals

Cont’d….

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• Population: 34.9 million• Annual number of births:

1,514,000• Deaths: 76 deaths per 1000• 57% of children are born

within heath facilities (UDHS 2011)

• Only 30% of children are registered at birth

Source: UDHS 2011 - OBOS

Context of Uganda

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The Statistics; 579,592 new births registered in

the FY 2013/14 up from 258,206 new births FY 2012/13

135 Hospitals were trained and equipped to use mobile VRS in FY 2013/14 up from 3 in FY 2012/13.

67 Sub counties registering using Mobile Phones.

33 districts using Mobile Registration including all 5 KCCA Divisions. With increased funding this can be replicated in all 112 districts

Improved service delivery: 2 days to produce a long birth certificate from 18- 25 days.

PROGRESS REPORT

Birth Registration Statistics for Financial Year 2013/2014

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Reaching the Unreached

Country wide campaign for Civil Registration“Don’t be a “Nobody”; Register your birth

Today!”-Hospital based registration.-Phone/ kiosk based registration for community/ hard to reach areas.-Working with local government structures led by District officials using Mobile phones and NSIS equipment at sub counties.-Working with Early Child Development (ECD) centres Schools &Universities.-Linking marriages to BDR record using the Unique Identifier number.-Linking Adoption registration to CR and NSIS data

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The CRVS Countrywide Assessment to establish the Baseline indicators on Civil Registration Status in Uganda, is in the final stages.

Training and equipping of 8,889 Civil Registration officials in 112 Districts of Uganda.

A Mobile VRS Review and BDR Policy development are in the pipeline,

Conducting media awareness raising campaigns to influence positive thinking and attitudes towards Civil Registration

Capacity building for partners e.g. computerisation and automation of processes at the sub national level

Computerising and equipping the Central Registry. Involve wide mobilization of stakeholders for utilization of BDR

data (NSSF, Banks, Social Protection etc… Activating death registration and cause of death reporting, Legislative reform

Strategies for Intervention

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The Bill seeks to among others; Establish the National Identification and Registration

Authority. Once passed into law, the Authority will take over the

functions of the Registrar of Births and Deaths.This implies that Civil registration will again be

scattered as different institutions will have different functions in civil registration.

Registration of Persons’ Bill

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b)Marriages:a) Forms of Marriages recognized in

Ugandab) The Christian/ church marriagec) The Civil marriage (By the Registrar of

Marriages)d) Customary marriagee) Hindu marriagef) Islamic marriage

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1. Marriage under the Marriage Act Cap 251, Laws of Uganda

a) Christian/ church marriages

Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the various Christian religions

b) Civil marriages . Celebrated at the offices of the Registrar of Marriages by the Registrar of Marriages; that is the Registrar General and the Chief Administrative Officers of the various districts

Forms cont’d…

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2. Customary marriages Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the

parties3. Hindu marriages Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the

parties. Both parties must profess the Hindu religion.4. Islamic marriages Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the

Islamic faith. Both parties must be of Muslim religion.

Cont’d….

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Places of public worship

licensed to celebrate marriages

Sub county Chiefs,Town

clerks

Temples Mosques

Chief Administrative

Officers

Uganda Registration Services Bureau

Hon. Minister for Justice and

Constitutional Affairs

Hon. Attorney General

b)Marriages: Institutional Framework

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1. Hon. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Grants licenses. -Dispensing with given provisions of the

Law -Places of public worship to celebrate marriages

On advise of the Registrar General, provides the fees for marriages under the various Laws.

Issues statutory instruments as provided for under the various Laws.

2. Hon. Attorney General. Divides the country into registration districts for purposes of

marriages. Appoints marriage registrars.

Roles and Responsibilities

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Registrar General Celebrates Civil marriages and issuance of certificates

thereof. Repository for marriage registration data. Collection of Non Tax Revenue (NTR) Search, certification and Verification of documents Provide Advisory services to Government.Chief Administrative Officers Celebrate civil marriages in the various districts Collect NTR Forward marriage returns to Registrar General.

Cont’d…

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Sub County Chiefs/Town Clerks Register customary marriages and issue certificates of

customary marriage registration Forward returns of customary marriages registered to the

Registrar General Collect NTR.Churches/Temples/Mosques Celebrate marriages in accordance with their respective

rites and customs Forward monthly returns to the Registrar General for

custody

Cont’d…

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The Registrar of Births and Deaths, who is the Registrar General is mandated by the Children Act to maintain an adopted children's register where particulars of adoption orders are entered.

the Registrar General therefore registers adoption orders and issues certificates of adoption.

Adoptions

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Divorces are handled by the Judiciary. There is no provision for registration of divorces save

for the Muslim Divorces which are registered by the Registrar General as provided under Cap 252.

There is a Marriage and Divorce Bill before which seeks among others to have all divorces registered by the Registrar of Marriages

Divorces

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Financial constraints Absence of a BDR Policy. This has in turn hindered

reform of the BDR Act. Lack of awareness both by the public and the various

duty bearers. Limited coverage Archaic civil registration laws eg,

Marriage Act 1904 Births and death registration Act 1973

Challenges