Civil Registration and Vital Statistics as a Tool to Improve Public Management

This paper sets forth a theoretical discussion of a number of specific benefits that can arise through the expansion of civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) as a way to improve public sector management. It posits that CRVS can be the main source of information to improve policy planning and coordination, as well as increasing transparency and preventing corruption and fraud, among other key features of public sector management. CRVS may supplement the census and other conventional instruments for collecting personal and demographic information on society. The paper also discusses practical ways to maximize the benefits of CRVS and the potential value of civil registration by opening a discussion on the costs and benefits of an expanded utilization of CRVS.