Governments and development partners from across the Francophone world agreed to strengthen digital civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, following a high-level roundtable co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) in Geneva. The event brought together global and regional leaders, development partners and government representatives to strengthen collaboration and scale up investment in inclusive, resilient and digitally-enabled CRVS systems.
Participants included representatives from Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Madagascar, Rwanda, Senegal, Switzerland and Togo, along with partner organizations such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Vital Strategies, the Global Financing Facility (GFF), CIVIPOL, the Monaco Association for the Protection of Mother and Child (l’AMADE), the Belgian Development Agency (ENABEL), Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Open Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (OpenCRVS) and Speak Up Africa.
The discussions reinforced a shared vision: to ensure every life is recognized, every person is counted, and every country is equipped with reliable digital infrastructure and interoperable systems for effective planning and rapid response.
Dr Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist, emphasized the importance of tailoring CRVS strategies to each country’s structural and legal realities. “Improving coverage and data quality, promoting inclusivity, and integrating digital innovation are essential to building resilient, safe and sustainable systems.”
Why civil registration and vital statistics systems matter
Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems give every person a legal identity – the foundation for accessing education, health care, and protection under the law. They help governments plan services, uphold human rights, and make informed policy decisions.
Accurate birth and death registration also underpins digital identity systems, fair elections, public health surveillance and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including health (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5) and justice (SDG 16).
“We cannot say every life counts unless every birth and every death is counted,” said Dr Alain Labrique, WHO Director for Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI.
Key messages from the roundtable
- Political commitment drives progress. Rwanda’s experience shows that when CRVS becomes a policy priority, it attracts resources and technical support.
- Strong governance ensures sustainability. Countries such as Benin and Senegal highlighted the need for clear institutional roles and data-sharing protocols.
- Digital infrastructure and interoperability are essential. Robust, locally owned systems guided by WHO and African Union standards can build trust and reliability.
- Health sector partnerships are crucial. As Switzerland and Togo noted, health workers play a central role in registering births and deaths and require continued training.
- Data privacy and ownership must be protected. Madagascar emphasized confidentiality across the data lifecycle while embracing innovation.
Participants also underscored that citizens must see the value of CRVS systems – through easier access to services and protection of rights – while policy-makers must recognize the worth of reliable data for equitable resource allocation.
Moving forward
WHO, OIF and their partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting countries in building inclusive, interoperable and digitally-empowered CRVS systems that leave no one behind.