Africa-Press – Botswana. Timely and accurate civil registration assists government to make informed economic development decisions and fulfill human rights.
This was said by Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule at the Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) commemoration day at Gudigwa on Thursday.
Mr Pule, who was speaking on behalf of the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, said civil registration espoused the recording of vital events in a person’s life, which included birth, marriage, divorce, adoption and death.
“Civil registration provides a documentary proof which assists in facilitation of access to essential services such as health, education, social welfare as well as in formal employment, exercising electoral right and bank services,” he said.
He added that government had realised the importance of CRVS and therefore had incorporated it in the National Vision 2036 to achieve equal participation of children, women and men in the political and economic development of the country.
“Therefore, every individual and stakeholder has a role in assisting government to achieve a robust CRVS system and universal registration,” he added.
For his part, deputy statistician general, Dr Lucky Mokgatlhe said registration of births and deaths was important in order for government to understand the magnitude of events for planning.
Dr Mokgatlhe observed that nationally, 99.8 per cent of births in Botswana happened at health facilities.
Regarding deaths, he said at national level, 75.4 per cent of deaths were registered in 2020, being an increase from 69.7 per cent in 2014.
Further, he said there had been an increase in marriages nationally from 4 601 in 2011 to 6 518 in 2020, of which 89.6 per cent were first marriages for both parties and 9.1 per cent were first marriage for one party while the rest were re-marriages.
For her part, acting deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Ms Tshenolo Omphitlhetse said civil registration in Botswana was only for foreigners pre-independence while for Batswana it started at independence.
Ms Omphitlhetse said at independence, registration of births and deaths was only done in urban areas while it was extended to every part of the country in June 2003.
She highlighted that registration of births and deaths was important for government’s planning purposes.
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