A
PRESENTATION
To the
Workshop on the Improvement
of Civil Registration and
Vital Statistics in SADC
Region
Department of National Registration, Passport & Citizenship
Ministry of Home Affairs
ZAMBIA
Background
The birth and Deaths Registration Act Chapter 51 of the
Laws of Zambia came into effect on 14 march, 1973, its
an Act that provides a uniform law for registration of all
births and deaths in Zambia without distinction of origin or
descent. Its registration is decentralized to all districts in
the country.
 However, issuance of Birth and Death Certificates
remains centralized to the office of the Registrar General
in Lusaka due to certain security reasons although plans
are under way to equally decentralize the operation.
 Prior to this, there was no provision for registration of
African births except for white, Coloured and Asian races.
All person born after 14 march 1973 are required to
obtain birth certificates.
Sources of Data
 Health institutions issue birth records and
medical cause of deaths for the purpose of
registration of the vital events.
 The police also issue BID reports used for the
same purpose.
 The headmen/chiefs also write confirmation of
death letters.
 Baptismal certificates are also relied upon as
evidence of birth (determining age and sex)
COVERAGE
 Birth and Death registration is not
adequately covered especially in villages
and rural areas where there is no formal
system of registration.
 People seem not to under stand the
value of obtaining birth and death
certificates due to lack of sensitization.
DATA ANALYSIS FOR
NATIONAL PLANNING
 The department uses the data for
administrative purposes only.
 The analysis of data in terms of national
planning is done by Central Statistics
Office (CSO).CSO is mandated to collect
data on vital registration from the
department for analysis purposes.
 CSO is expected to collect the raw data
and process it into meaningful
information
CHALLENGES
 Data captured by the department on vital
registration is still on hard copies only in form of
Birth , Marriage and Death registers. The
registers date back to 1908. there is urgent
need to computerize the records and store on
disks and other storage devises.
 People in the rural areas are unaware of the
importance of registering vital events. There is
need for sensitization and awareness
campaigns.
OPPORTUNITIES
 The department conducted a survey on the current birth
registration system. The survey is aimed at addressing
the gaps in birth registration (resulting to the low turn out)
and also make recommendations thereof.
 The department has improved on the birth certificate in
terms of security features and other vital additional
information.
 The department is on plan to decentralize the issuance of
birth and death certificates to provincial and district
levels.
 The department will, in the new structure, also aim to
create sub-centres for registration of vital events in the
village. The traditional leaders will have to be brought on
board for the department to achieve its objectives
Registration for a birth
certificate?
A birth certificate is an important document
which shows what your names are,
where you were born, when you were
born and who your parents are. It is the
first legal acknowledgement of a child’s
existence
Why do you need one?
This certificate is required to:
- Enroll a child in school at the right age.
- Obtain your national registration card or
passport
- Enter college or university
- Apply for a job
How to register the birth of a
child?
Birth registration is the official recording of
the birth of the child by an administrative
process of the state and is coordinated
by a particular branch of the
government. It is a permanent and
official record of a child’s existence in a
particular country.
Step 1
 Parents or guardians are required to
complete “Notice of Birth” Reg – Gen
Form No. 14 at the National Registration
office in their respective Districts.
Step 2
 If the child was born at the hospital or
Clinic (either government or private) a
record of Birth or Under-Five Children’s
card is attached to the notice of Birth.
Step 3
 The two documents are then submitted
to the Registrar of Birth at the Local
Authority in the District where the child
was born.
Step 4
 The Registrar enters the birth in the
Registrar and assigns the form s serial
number as a means of reference.
Step 5
 The forms are endorsed with the
Registrars signature and official stamp.
Step 6
 The Registrar forwards these documents
to the Registrar at the office of the
Registrar General for issuance of a birth
certificate, since it is a centralized
system.
Children born at home either in
rural or urban areas
If a child is born at home, either in rural or
urban areas, an Under-Five Children’s
Clinic Card can be obtained at the
nearest health centre within one month
of the child’s birth. The same stated birth
registration procedure can be followed.
In the absence of the birth record or
Under-Five Children’s Clinic Card an
Affidavit Form M can be used.
Late Registration
 If the birth is registered after 12 months,
an Affidavit Reg – Form 12 needs to be
completed for late registration. There is a
provision on the form for applicants to
give reasons why the birth was not
registered within the stipulated period.
Registration of marriages
 Zambian marriages are celebrated in two
categories namely:

Statute marriages solemnised by the
Registrar General. Councils and churches
are agents in the solemnisation of statute
marriages. A 21 days’ notice has to be
given before a marriage is solemnised
Registration of marriages cont
 Customary marriages are solemnised by
the local courts. There is no notice given
for the solemnisation of the marriage.
 In times of divorce, the high court hears
marriages under the statute while the
local court hears the dissolution of
customary marriages.
Registration of death
 Deaths have to be reported within 24
hours of their occurrences. The
informants full names and address have
to be submitted. Other details required
are:




medical cause of death
Identity card of the deceased person
Burial permit
Occupation, age and sex
Registration of death cont
 For deaths occurring outside the
hospital, a police report or letter from the
chief/headman has to be attached.
 As stated earlier, the issuance of these
certificates is centralised while the
procession is done from all the 72
districts of the country
Thank you for your attention!!