The Right to be Counted!
A fundamental civil right to gain access to essential social services and exercise democratic rights.
13 December 2024 12:00
In an increasingly interconnected world, the right to be counted has emerged as a fundamental civil right. Civil registration and identification systems – whether in the form of birth certificates, national ID cards, or social security numbers – are critical tools that enable individuals to exercise their democratic rights and access essential social services. However, the benefits of these systems come with significant challenges, including issues of data privacy, accessibility, and the potential for misuse.
Civil Rights Tied to Registration
Modern governance rests on the principle that individuals must be recognized by the state to exercise their civil rights. Legal identification, whether through birth registration or national ID cards, ensures individuals are both counted and protected under the law of the state. Without formal recognition, millions of citizens worldwide are excluded from basic rights, such as voting, social security, and the ability to engage in civic life.
The phrase "If you are not counted, you have no civil rights" encapsulates the importance of registration. Without legal identity, individuals cannot vote, access healthcare, or seek protection from the legal system. In many developing regions, the lack of registration at birth or access to an ID leaves entire populations invisible, further marginalizing vulnerable groups and obstructing social equality.
The Statistical Power of Civil Registration
Beyond safeguarding rights, civil registration systems are crucial for effective governance. Paired with a unique identifier, such as a national ID number, these systems provide accurate population data, enabling governments to plan and allocate resources more effectively.
In Statistics Denmark’s Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) projects in Ghana, Morocco and Vietnam, we are working with our partner organisations and the Danish embassies to advocate for civil registration and linking it with other administrative data for statistical purposes and thus for improved planning and decision-making.
The central promise of the UN’s 2030 SDG agenda to 'Leave No One Behind' relies on effective civil registration systems and accurate statistics. Without knowing who lives in a given area, it is impossible to determine whether any person or group has been left behind.
In Ghana, for instance, the national identification system, centred on the Ghana Card, links voter registration with demographic data. This allows for better tracking of voter participation and helps the government forecast changes in population dynamics, economic trends, and service requirements. By linking administrative data to a clear identifier, countries like Ghana can better plan for the future, using real-time information to adapt to emerging challenges.
Currently, a concerning amount of children in Ghana remain unregistered, rendering them effectively invisible and unrecognized by governmental bodies and legal systems. The introduction of the Ghana card at birth represents a crucial step forward in the nation's journey towards digital transformation and the guarantee of fundamental rights from the outset of life.
In April 2024, Ghana launched a Civil Registration System for infants to remedy the situation. The registration system enables infants of 6-weeks to obtain their own unique personal identification number and card. This documentation will serve as both digital and physical evidence of their legal identity, family relations, and entitlements from the time of birth, thereby ensuring essential social protection.
Furthermore, this initiative holds immense promise for enhancing data collection. By leveraging administrative data sources such as the Ghana card for infants, in conjunction with other administrative data, the SSC partner Ghana Statistical Service can transition from the reliance on surveys to utilizing more robust and more inexpensive data sources. This transition will facilitate the provision of critical information necessary for evidence-based decision-making.
The national ID enables citizens to identify themselves and participate in legal transactions, such as opening a savings account, paying taxes, getting married, or enrolling in school.
The Pitfalls: Privacy Concerns and Data Misuse
Despite the many benefits of civil registration systems, they can also present significant risks if not properly managed. Centralized systems are vulnerable to misuse, especially in politically unstable environments. Governments or third-party actors can exploit personal data for surveillance, discrimination, or political control.
Privacy and data security are critical. Registration systems must be built with strong safeguards to protect against unauthorized access. Without trust in the system, people may avoid registering out of fear their data could be used for harmful purposes, such as deportation or racial profiling.
For example, in some countries, marginalized communities, such as ethnic minorities or refugees, may avoid registration because of concerns that their data will be used to exclude them from public life or subject them to government monitoring. This exclusion exacerbates existing inequalities, leaving these groups without access to social services furthering their vulnerability.
Privacy concerns and the risk of misuse create a dilemma for democracy and the goal of leaving no one behind. If people are not 'counted,' we cannot know who may be left behind, and without registration, individuals cannot be assured the opportunity to exercise their civic rights.
Case Studies: Successes and Challenges
Several countries have implemented civil registration systems with varying degrees of success. In Ghana, the Ghana Card has become central to voter registration and participation in elections. During the December 2024 election, the government encouraged citizens to register as voters using their Ghana Card. However, it was not mandatory, as individuals could also register with a birth certificate or through a guarantor who attested to their identity. Of the 1.7 million Ghanaians who registered for the first time for this election, the majority reportedly used the Ghana Card, although the exact proportion is currently unknown. Many Ghanaians who voted in the election had already been registered in previous elections and participated using their existing voter cards.
More practically, the Ghana Card also serves as a personal ID for financial transactions and everyday tasks, such as obtaining a cell phone.
Additionally, a pilot program in Denmark has been launched to issue Ghana Cards at the Ghanaian embassy for Ghanaians residing abroad, expanding access to the diaspora community.
In Morocco, the costs of conducting a national census have prompted discussions about transitioning to an administrative civil registration system based on data. This would not only reduce the costs associated with traditional censuses but also ensure more accurate and continuous population data collection.
A Global Challenge
The challenge of ensuring universal registration is not unique to Ghana or Morocco. Across Africa and the developing world, birth registration rates remain low, particularly in rural and remote areas. This issue is especially severe for communities with lifestyles less integrated into the formal economy and limited access to government services that require ID.
Ongoing research, such as Amanda Wendel Malm's work in the Certification of Citizenship in Africa project at the University of Copenhagen[1], explores the dynamics, implications, and policy negotiations surrounding legal identification in Ghana and Uganda, as well as at international organizations. This research highlights the consequences of the push for new and updated national ID systems. When countries began implementing these systems, they had significant impact – partly on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems – which in some instances received lower priority, less attention, and, in some cases, reduced funding.
For example, in Ghana, we can see similar challenges before addressing the integration of children into the national ID system. National IDs, both in international discourses and national policies, are frequently designed with an adult population in mind. Similarly, at the international level, tensions have emerged between agencies and organizations regarding the prioritization of national ID systems versus CRVS systems.
The essence of the matter is the need for a foundational and interoperable system in which different forms of registration and identification – such as national IDs and CRVS – are equally valued and interconnected. This balance is crucial to avoid undermining certain registration forms and their connected statistics, such as birth and death registrations. It is vital for both the international community and individual countries to ensure that no single form of registration is neglected in favour of developing another.
The Way Forward: Balancing Equity, Security, and Democracy
As civil registration is essential to democratic participation and social protection, it is crucial that these systems are designed with equity and security at their core. Marginalized communities must have equitable access to registration, and robust privacy protections must be in place to safeguard personal data.
Moreover, governments must strive to build trust with their citizens, ensuring that registration systems are not perceived as tools of control or oppression. This is especially important in regions where ethnic tensions or a history of political repression may lead to fears about data misuse. By promoting a comprehensive and inclusive approach, governments can ensure that all forms of registration work in harmony to support equitable access to services, robust policy-making, and accurate demographic data.
In the broader global context, the right to be counted is a human right. As countries work to achieve universal registration, they contribute to a more equitable and democratic world where no one is left behind. Civil registration is more than a bureaucratic exercise – it is a gateway to civil rights, social justice, and the promise of democratic participation for all.
[1] https://teol.ku.dk/english/dept/certizens-certifications-of-citizenship-in-africa/
Source: This news article is written by Klaus Munch Haagensen , chief advisor and project manager for Statistics Denmarks Strategic Sector Cooperation project in Morocco.