title: Civil registration and vital statistics: progress in the data revolution for counting and accountability.
abstract: New momentum for civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) is building, driven by the confluence of growing demands for accountability and results in health, improved equity, and rights-based approaches to development challenges, and by the immense potential of innovation and new technologies to accelerate CRVS improvement. Examples of country successes in strengthening of hitherto weak systems are emerging. The key to success has been to build collaborative partnerships involving local ownership by several sectors that span registration, justice, health, statistics, and civil society. Regional partners can be important to raise awareness, set regional goals and targets, foster country-to-country exchange and mutual learning, and build high-level political commitment. These regional partners continue to provide a platform through which country stakeholders, development partners, and technical experts can share experiences, develop and document good practices, and propose innovative approaches to tackle CRVS challenges. This country and regional momentum would benefit from global leadership, commitment, and support.
authors.affiliation: CAZ Consulting, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: abouzahr.carla@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: AbouZahr
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Savigny
authors.affiliation: LM Consulting, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.affiliation: The Union North America, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Setel
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.affiliation: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.affiliation: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Notzon
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lopez
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007391:International Cooperation; D012042:Registries; D014798:Vital Statistics