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

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What is civil registration
o 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 Framework
“ 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
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•
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Relevant 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)
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 formulation
Attorney General:
 Appoints Registrars and designates registration
districts
Registrar General:
 Issues long birth and death certificates
 Receives returns from districts and hospitals
 Issues registration materials to all registration Districts
 Certification of documents in his custody
 Collects Non Tax Revenue (NTR) on behalf of Gov’t;
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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 NTR
Forward returns to the Chief Administrative Officer
for onward transmission to the Registrar General.
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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
Ministry of Justice /
Attorney General
Ministry of Health
National/ Regional Referral
Hospitals
Uganda Bureau of Statistics
URSB
BDR National Task
Force
District Local Governments
Sub counties/ Town Councils/ Municipalities,
Health Centre IVs
Village Notifiers
Government, Missionary and Industrial
Hospitals
Parish
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Context of Uganda
• 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
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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.
Birth Registration Statistics for
Financial Year 2013/2014
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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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Strategies for Intervention
 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
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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.

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a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Forms of Marriages recognized in
Uganda
The Christian/ church marriage
The Civil marriage (By the Registrar of
Marriages)
Customary marriage
Hindu marriage
Islamic marriage
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1. Marriage under the Marriage Act Cap 251, Laws of
Uganda
a) Christian/ church marriages
a)
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of
the various Christian religions
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
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2. Customary marriages
Celebrated according to the rites and customs of the
parties
3. 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.
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Hon. Minister for
Justice and
Constitutional Affairs
Hon. Attorney
General
Uganda Registration
Services Bureau
Sub county
Chiefs,Town
clerks
Chief
Administrative
Officers
Places of
public worship
licensed to
celebrate
marriages
Temples
Mosques
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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.
1.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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