Addis Ababa, 04 August, 2016(WIC) –The government of Ethiopia has announced that it is going to start compulsory and universal registration and certification of vital events such as birth, death, marriage and divorce.
Speaking at the launching ceremony held here today, President Mulatu Teshome (PhD), said the government has given great emphasis to vital events registration across the country by putting appropriate policies in place and establishing a system up to the lowest level of the administrative ladder.
With the collaboration and commitment of all stakeholders, the country shall succeed in the operation of the system, he noted.
Absence of legal framework for a national vital events registration and statistics system has resulted in uncoordinated practices of producing civil status evidence, he noted.
Director General of Vital Events Registration Agency, Elsa Tesfaye, on her part noted that in order to realize the multiple benefits of vital events registration all stakeholders should ensure its continuity.
The Agency is making utmost effort to finalize preparations and commence the registration since August 6, 2016, she said.
The government had adopted a comprehensive law back in 2012 to govern the institutional and operational framework of vital events registration.