The Government of Rwanda has finally endorsed civil registration services at health facilities around the country where designated members of staff can legally register events such as births and deaths.

The Order gives powers to the Cell Executive Secretary, based on the information provided by the head of the Village where the event took place, to register births and deaths that "occur in places other than a health facility for persons having known civil status."

The revised law, among other things, states that an officer of a health facility has the power of civil registrar to record births and deaths that occur there.

The approved Order of the Minister in charge of civil registration who is the Minister of Local Government - among others, specifies the officer of the health facility who has that power, his or her responsibilities and the modalities for performance of such responsibilities.

Why Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) is important

Civil registration as defined by the UN is the continuous, permanent, compulsory and universal recording of the occurrence and characteristics of vital events, such as birth and death, of the population in accordance with the law.