This publication, however, will focus only on the registration of births, given the pivotal role that registration has in establishing the legal identity of an individual for the issuance of a birth certificate as a breeder document. While it is recognized that civil registration interacts with other branches of government, the focus of this document rests only on civil registries.

Civil registries should be based on a robust framework that includes definitions, governance, organizational structure, and the roles and responsibilities of those involved. Shifting from a paper-based to a digital registration environment can provide the opportunity to review the three basic institutional framework elements: the legal, administrative, and technological aspects.