The civil registry: A neglected dimension

of international development

Mia HarbitzNovember 2, 2012

ID-Management chain to ensure legal identity

Civil Registration

Civil Identification

Unique personal numberBiometrics

Age of individual

Leve

l of s

ecur

ity

Identity token

The IDB and identity management

Knowledge and Projects 2002- to date

•Research and outreach USD 1,5M

•Pilots and technical cooperations: USD 6,8M

•Loans – Civil registries USD 78M

•Pipeline 2013/14 USD 110M

Identity management in the IDB

• 9th General Capital Increase : Regional birth registration indicator

• Strategy: Institutions for growth and social development: Registries for social and economic growth.

• Social and environmental safeguard screening: Legal identity

• Renaming of department Institutions for Development (IDF)

Critical for development

The higher the HDI, the lower the rates of under registration of births

In Latin America we know that approximately 10% of our children are not registered…

Supply side issues

• Lack of information about importance of civil registry• Decision makers not well informed

• Outdated legal frameworks • Cumbersome procedures

• Institutional weaknesses and asymmetries• Inadequate economic resources• Limited institutional presence

• Unsystematic and unsustainable technological solutions• Human resource limitations

The ugly duckling of public institutions?

The role of the Civil Registry

Veracity of documentsVeracity of documents

Foundations for effective identity management

Conclusions I

• Develop National Identity Management Policy– Id-M is a sovereign responsibility– IFIs and other donors should have catalytic role– No cookie cutter solution

• Coordinate with other public services– Hospitals—vaccination centers– Primary schools– Ministry Of Social affairs/gender– Ministry of Planning and/or Finance

Conclusions II

• Shorten the distance to the civil registries– Creation/redistribution of civil registries– Information campaigns—impact evaluation– Cultural sensitivity

• Develop communication strategies

• More research – better data – better results– What cannot be measured cannot be improved

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The Inter-American Development Bank Discussion Papers and Presentations are documents prepared by both Bank and non-Bank personnel as supporting materials for events and are often produced on an expedited publication schedule without formal editing or review. The information and opinions presented in these publications are entirely those of the author(s), and no endorsement by the Inter-American Development Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the countries they represent is expressed or implied.

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Contact: Mia Harbitzmiah@iadb.org

http://iadb.libguides.com/registros

Thank you

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