This animated video explains why well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are important for ensuring legal identity for all and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Recording vital life events such as birth, marriage, divorce, and death provides governments with a complete data set of their population. CRVS systems lead to better legal protections for all, ensuring each person can participate fully in society. Choosing to invest in well-functioning CRVS systems today will lead to a better world for tomorrow. 

Developed by Data2X and the Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems, this video aims to raise awareness of the power of CRVS systems as a pathway to a proper legal identity for all. Strong CRVS systems are essential for delivering on the Beijing Platform and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems recognizes the value of legal identity documents for women’s empowerment, and for facilitating access to social benefits and protections. It is also recognized that achieving gender equality mandates reliable, real-time data. Vital statistics data is disaggregated by sex, geographic location, and other locally relevant characteristics to guide development policies and programs. CRVS systems are particularly important for meeting the needs of vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.