Rwanda marks African CRVS day, kicks off week-long awareness drive

Elias Hakizimana Aug 13, 2025Aug 13, 2025 0 Comments

By Elias HAKIZIMANA.

Rwanda joined other African nations on August 12, 2025, in celebrating the African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day in Nyaruguru District, an event that also served as the official launch of CRVS Week, a nationwide initiative aimed at raising awareness and promoting timely registration of vital events.

The celebration, held under the theme “Leveraging Digital Civil Registration System to Build Inclusive and Accessible Services”, highlights the country’s ongoing efforts to modernize and digitize civil registration processes through the National Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (NCI-CRVS).

This fully digital platform, introduced in 2020, has replaced the traditional paper-based approach, enabling the efficient and secure recording of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, adoptions, and other key life events.

Highlighting the importance of CRVS

Hon. KAYISIRE Marie Solange, State Minister of Local Government emphasized that timely and accurate civil registration is not only a legal requirement but also a cornerstone for good governance, effective service delivery, and inclusive development.

Hon. KAYISIRE Marie Solange, State Minister of Local Government, stressed that timely and accurate civil registration is essential for good governance, efficient service delivery, and inclusive development, beyond being just a legal obligation.

A properly maintained CRVS system, she noted, ensures that every individual enjoys a recognized legal identity, enabling access to education, healthcare, inheritance rights, and other social services.

During CRVS Week, mobile registration teams will visit villages and sectors nationwide to ensure that vital events are officially recorded and family rights are protected.

Their work will include registering delayed births and deaths at the cell (akagari) level, providing legal recognition to children born to unmarried parents at the sector (umurenge) level, and formalizing unions for couples living together without legal marriage at sector offices to safeguard inheritance and other legal rights.

In addition to these services, the public will be sensitized on self-service options available on the Irembo platform, where citizens can apply for CRVS services remotely (“Byikorere”), and the benefits of the upcoming Single Digital ID, which will consolidate multiple identification documents into one, simplifying access to public services.

Digital innovation for inclusive growth

CRVS Week activities will also feature community dialogues, media campaigns, and demonstration sessions on how technology is transforming civil registration in Rwanda. Organizers stressed that the move to a digital system not only speeds up registration but also enhances data accuracy, security, and accessibility—making it easier for policymakers to plan and implement evidence-based national development programs.

As Rwanda continues to strengthen its CRVS system, officials reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the registration process, regardless of location, social status, or background.

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