Marriage and Divorce Registration and Vital Statistics: Selected Case Studies from East and Southern Africa and the Arab Region

Willis Odek, UNFPA
Fredrick O Okwayo, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Birth, marriage, divorce and death are vital events for which registration is required and vital statistics needed, as recommended by the United Nations. Marriage registration is weak and divorce registration is practically absent in many African countries. Among countries in the Arab region, laws generally state that registration of marriage and divorce events is mandatory. However, the extent to which these laws are enforced to ensure complete and timely registration of all vital events remains unclear. This paper presents consolidated findings and insights from two separate studies on the status of marriage and divorce registration and vital statistics in six countries in the East and Southern Africa region and 10 countries in the Arab region to draw lessons for other countries. Addressing the marriage legislative environment to ensure universality of marriage registration, reengineering the business process for divorce information flow to statistical agencies are among key recommendations.