10 August 2024, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Hon. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, announced that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, through the Office of the Registration Agency for Social Events in Zanzibar and in collaboration with development partners, will continue to expand the integration of the electronic registration system to hospitals and health centres that have not yet been connected.

He made this statement during the commemoration of African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day , held at Michenzani Mall Hall, Zanzibar – Tanzania. Hon. Abdulla emphasized that

"the government will persist in efforts to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of registering social events. This initiative will be coupled with the decentralization of social services through district offices and the distribution of vouchers to Shehias and marriage registrars to enhance service efficiency".

He also highlighted that the integration of the electronic system in hospitals and health centers will ensure that every citizen is recognized and registered, enabling newborns to receive birth certificates immediately after birth.

The Office of the Zanzibar Civil Status  Registration Agency (ZCSRA) has successfully integrated the Zanzibar Resident Identification System (Zan ID) with systems used by both government and private institutions, such as banks, the Zanzibar Health Insurance, and the Higher Education Loan Board. This integration has strengthened the identification process and the delivery of services to citizens. Additionally, the government has utilized data obtained through the ZCSRA  to inform urban and rural development planning, including infrastructure for education, hospitals, roads, and markets.

Hon. Abdulla urged citizens to actively participate in registering significant social events, such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. He also encouraged mothers to continue with hospital deliveries and to report home births to their local leaders (Shehias) to ensure that the child is registered and receives a birth certificate.

The Minister of State for Regional Administrations, Local Governments, and Special Departments, Hon. Massoud Ali Mohammed, commended the ZCSRA for its significant role in assisting the government with development planning based on reliable registration systems. He noted that the agency has made considerable progress in ensuring that services are provided to citizens across all districts of Zanzibar, which has resulted in the government receiving accurate and timely data, and children being registered immediately after birth. Hon. Massoud urged the agency's officials to continue serving the public with professionalism and diligence, prioritizing the nation's interests to ensure the safety and legal rights of every citizen.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Zanzibar Civil Status and Registration Agency, Mohammed Ame Makame, assured that the agency would continue to register every citizen in the electronic system, ensuring their information is recognized so they can receive their basic rights in a timely manner. However, he also acknowledged challenges such as poor communication services in some areas, which hinder the agency's ability to deliver registration services, as well as a shortage of human resources and tools within the agency.

UNFPA is proud to stand alongside the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in this critical endeavour. Together, we are building a robust and inclusive CRVS system that not only supports individual rights but also contributes to the broader goals of social and economic development.

“The work we are doing today will have lasting impacts for generations to come. By ensuring that every life is counted, and every event is recorded, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Zanzibari is recognized, valued, and empowered to contribute to the development of their community and country”. Said Dr. Azzah Nofly, UNFPA Tanzania, Head of Zanzibar Liaison Office.

Civil registration is defined as the universal, compulsory, continuous, permanent and confidential recording of the occurrence of all vital events. Civil registration provides individuals with special approbatory instruments which allow them to prove, with incontrovertible certainty, the facts relating to their existence, identity, and personal and family situation. Thus, it is an invaluable source for comprehensive, regular, and detailed vital statistics. Consequently, continuous and universal civil registration and the production of vital statistics are critical functions of government, as civil registration establishes the existence of a person under the law. Where a CRVS has a high level of coverage and completeness, it is the preferred source of vital statistics due to the ongoing and timely collection of data.

In 2016, UNFPA provided support to the Zanzibar Civil Status Registration Agency (ZCSRA) to create an electronic and modern civil registration system. Prior to its launch civil registration was completed manually in Zanzibar. The electronic CRVS is now fully functioning - the first electronic  birth certificate was issued and printed in Zanzibar on April 25, 2016 – and records births, deaths, marriages, divorces and generates national identification cards.  Since 2016, 46,623 births have been registered in Zanzibar, with the corresponding number of birth certificates issued. The system has also been populated with civil registration data captured manually since 1987.  

Eradicating poverty and ‘leaving no one behind’ is only possible if everyone is visible to the government and development partners. The legal documentation of identity through a CRVS system facilitates social, economic, and political inclusion and supports individuals in exercising their rights. The electronic  CRVS provides timely information about the size and composition of the population in Zanzibar and will assist the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGoZ) in designing evidence-based policies and programmes tailored to the specific needs of the people.  The RGoZ is also now better placed to monitor its progress against national and international targets and goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

For Media queries and further information, please contact:

Dr. Warren Bright
UNFPA Communications Analyst
United Republic of Tanzania
Mobile: +255 764 43 44 45
Email: bwarren@unfpa.org