Civil Registration System imperative to monitor country’s progress : Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD, May 3 (APP):Minister for Interior, Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said a well-functioning of Civil Registration
System is critical in monitoring country’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.
Addressing a launching ceremony of Technical Support Unit –
Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (TSU-CRVS) at Pakistan
Policy and Management Institute (PPMI) here, he said, the setting-up
the Unit is a step in right direction to facilitate national and
provincial organizations, follow up actions and improve education and
health systems.
UNICEF is extending institutional support for development
and functioning of this unit for initial years.
The Minister said by 2025, all people in the country would
benefit from universal and responsive CRVS systems that facilitate
the realization of their rights and support, good governance, and
development.
The CRVS is mechanism of collecting information by civil
registration system on frequency of occurrence of specified and
defined vital events (eg births, deaths, cause of deaths, marriage,
migration, its compiling, processing, analysing, evaluating,
presenting and disseminating these data in some statistical
form.
Ahsan Iqbal, who is also Minister for Planning and
Development, said significance of improvement of Civil Registration
and Vital Statistics (CRVS) has recently been emphasized round the
globe and added CRVS data is critical to support functioning of
National Health System and for a number of other government
functions.
He also urged all development partners to use SDGs agencies
to synergize and coordinate their efforts to support Pakistan in
achieving SDGs.
The Minister expressed his delight on inauguration
of the Unit and described it as a testimony of Pakistan’s
commitment towards SDGs.
The Technical Support Unit would have specific functions
which include overall technical coordination, CRVS advocacy,
organization and follow-up of National/Provincial Steering
Committee meetings, facilitate strategic planning process and
help in capacity building in multiple CRVS disciplines.
In addition, TSU- CRVS would assist in organization of
assessment studies, specific surveys and also promote inter-agency
coordination for CRVS uplift.
Representatives of federal, provincial and districts
governments, UN Agencies, academia and civil society and
international Development Partners were also present.