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By Fulgencie Mukamusoni
At the launch of the Civil Registration Awareness Week, which coincided with the celebration of the African Population Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day, Nyaruguru District was awarded a commendation for its outstanding performance in providing quality civil registration services.
The event, held under the theme “Leveraging Digital Civil Registration Systems to Build Inclusive and Accessible Services”, aims to bring civil registration services directly to citizens, especially those living in rural and hard-to-reach areas. The initiative underscores the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to ensuring that every individual has a legal identity, a fundamental right that opens doors to essential services and social protection. It was on 12 August 2025.
Bringing services to the grassroots
The Ministry of Local Government, in close collaboration with key partners including the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the National Identification Agency (NIDA), the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), and the Irembo digital platform, has designed the campaign to address gaps in civil registration coverage.
During CRVS Week, mobile teams will operate in every corner of the country with a focus on three main activities:
- Village-Level Registration of Births and Deaths: Identifying and recording cases that were previously missed, ensuring that all citizens are accounted for in the national system.
- Sector-Wide Registration of Children Born to Unmarried Parents: Ensuring every child has a recognized identity regardless of their parents’ marital status.
- Legalization of Marriages: Offering couples who have been cohabiting without legal recognition the chance to formalize their unions, strengthening family rights and security.
Why It Matters
Officials at the launch stressed that timely and accurate civil registration goes far beyond paperwork; it is a cornerstone of effective governance. A legal identity allows citizens to access education, healthcare, social benefits, and inheritance rights. At the same time, it strengthens national data systems, enabling the government to plan more effectively for the needs of its population.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. KAYISIRE Marie Solange, State Minister of Local Government, urged communities to actively participate:
“This is a unique opportunity for every Rwandan to secure their legal identity. No one should be left behind in the national records. Registering vital events protects individual rights and contributes to the development of our nation,” says Ho. KAYISIRE
The CRVS Week activities will also promote the Single Digital ID system, which integrates personal identification into a single, secure platform, making access to public services faster, easier, and more transparent.
By taking these services closer to citizens, Rwanda continues to position itself as a leader in digital governance and inclusive service delivery on the African continent.
