Project profile — Modernization of Haiti's Civil Registry

• Haiti (100.00%)

• Public sector policy and administrative management:
Public sector policy and administrative management (15110) (25.00%)
Elections (15151) (25.00%)
Human rights (15160) (25.00%)
• Other Social Infrastructure And Services: Statistical capacity building (16062) (25.00%)

• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)

This project's objective is to enable Haiti's National Identification Office (ONI) to develop and maintain a national civil registration and identification system that is universally accessible, secure, and non-discriminatory. The lack of a civil identity in Haiti leaves millions of people unable to access basic services, apply for credit, obtain title to property, or vote. In broader terms, they are unable to participate fully in the economic, political, and democratic life of their country. The goal of this project is to make civil registration more accessible to all Haitians. The main project activities include: the digitization of 14 million historic records from the National Archives and their conversion to a secure electronic database; training and coaching for ONI supervisors and employees on the use of the new automated system; and the implementation of nation-wide campaigns to promote the registration of children. By the end of the project, it is expected to have close to universal registration rates for children and adults. The project also aims to provide adults with access to national identity cards.

N/A

Results achieved by this project, which ended in July 2012, include: More than five million Haitians (50% women) were registered and have received a secure national identification card. This represents about 90% of the adult population in Haiti. These cards allowed citizens to exercise their right to vote during the 2010/2011 elections. The project created 141 centres of the Office of National Identification with trained staff able to deliver services across Haiti. 11,337 newborns were registered and received birth certificates at civil registry offices, which were integrated in two maternity hospitals, with the support of the project. The average monthly birth registration rates more than doubled in those hospitals. More than 124,000 people learned about the importance of registering children at birth through training workshops with health staff, community meetings, in schools, and by household visits. The National Archives have digitized about 16.7 million records of civil status (birth, marriage and death certificates), progressing towards the creation of an electronic national database. A new draft law was developed to modernize the national identity and civil registry system. Workshops were held with civil society, government institutions, and international organizations to seek input on the new legislative framework. These results have contributed to significantly strengthening the civil registry system in Haiti and improving people’s access to identity-based transactions such as voting and social services.

• Proactive disclosure