Population Data Thematic Fund: Expanding the global impact of the Centre of Excellence on CRVS Systems

Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) are a fundamental tool for women’s empowerment and for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality and SDG 3 on achieving universal health coverage. Gaps in research and capacity, lack of engagement with civil society, slow digitization and poor links between CRVS experts and government officials hinder efforts to strengthen CRVS systems. Without gendered data and strong systems to generate rigorous data for government plans, women and girls risk being undercounted or not counted at all.

This project aims to augment the global impact of the Centre of Excellence for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems, housed at UNFPA, by generating common operational guidelines for expanding CRVS coverage in diverse national settings; improving the use of CRVS systems as a reliable source of data for responses to health emergencies; and expanding the availability of field-based CRVS technical advisors and mentoring to a “next generation” of young female CRVS data scientists, In addition, the project will focus on dedicating investments to institution-building among women’s rights and data researchers and civil society in the Global South; promoting cooperation between United Nations agencies and bilateral donors in CRVS and gender; and enhancing the alignment of investments with national priorities, thus helping reduce a siloed, non-systems approach to CRVS systems.

This project will promote gender equality with dedicated fellowship opportunities to develop the careers of young female CRVS and gender scientists; guidelines on how CRVS can enhance gender equality and reproductive, maternal and newborn health; accelerated progress on SDGs 5 and 10; and by expanding the capacity of institutions in the Global South to address the intersectionality of women’s legal identity, their ability to claim their rights, and their reproductive health and well-being.

In building these partnerships, UNFPA will work with potential donors and partners in providing both human and financial resources and strengthening CRVS systems in specific targeted countries. UNFPA’s Population Data Thematic Fund will be used as a catalytic instrument in attracting additional resources for CRVS to complement the funds from IDRC.