CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE LE CENTRE D’EXCELLENCE for CRVS Systems sur les systèmes ESEC Constructing the Foundations for Legal Identity in Post-Conflict Settings SDG TARGET 16.9 LEGAL IDENTITY FOR ALL by Mia Harbitz and Dianne Hubbard Authors’ Note The research was commissioned by the Centre of Excellence for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Systems at the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Canada. The paper is based on reviews of online resources, published literature and reports, as well as interviews with experts familiar with the civil registration processes in the four countries analyzed: Afghanistan, Georgia, Rwanda, and South Africa. The aim is to make these research findings widely accessible for discussion, debate, and use by the global CRVS community of practice. Published by the Centre of Excellence for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems. International Development Research Centre PO Box 8500, Ottawa, ON Canada [email protected] www.CRVSsystems.ca © International Development Research Centre 2021 The research presented in this publication was carried out with financial and technical assistance from the Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems. Housed at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), it is jointly funded by Global Affairs Canada and IDRC. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of Global Affairs Canada, IDRC, or its Board of Governors. Constructing the Foundations for Legal Identity in Post-Conflict Settings i Acknowledgements The authors thank the many individuals who shared key insights from their knowledge and experience: Keith Breckenridge, University of the Witwatersrand; Mariam Dolidze, World Bank; Nato Gagnidze, Innovations and Reforms Center; Kendra Gregson, UNICEF; Bahadur Hellali, Afghanistan National Statistics and Information Authority; Patricia Kheirallah, Norwegian Refugee Council; Patricia Lim Ah Ken, UNICEF; Francois Mugabo, UNICEF; David Nzeyimana, UNECA; Ezzatulla Raj, Norwegian Refugee Council; Maletela Tuoane-Nkhasi, World Bank; and Dimitry Zviadadze, Norwegian Refugee Council. Special thanks to Natalie Smith, research assistant, from Johns Hopkins University. The authors also thank Anette Bayer Forsingdal, Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems; Montasser Kamal, Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems; Jonathan Klaaren, University of the Witwatersrand; and Bronwen Manby, London School of Economics and Political Science for assisting in the review of the paper. Constructing the Foundations for ii Legal Identity in Post-Conflict Settings Abstract Despite mounting evidence of the need for people to have trusted and trustworthy identity credentials, little attention has been paid to the key determinants of an identity management system that establishes a person’s unique legal identity and issues reliable official identity credentials. Also overlooked is a country’s ability to register and give legal identity to everyone who lives within its borders, regardless of citizenship status. This paper aims to contribute to the achievement of Target 16.9 under Sustainable Development Goal 16 by analyzing the role of the civil register and the legal underpinnings for identity in four countries: Afghanistan, Georgia, Rwanda, and South Africa. It describes institutional and operational models in each country that support universal registration of births, deaths, and other vital events. Specifically, it describes the legal frameworks for civil registration (sovereign responsibility), institutional and administrative arrangements, registration of undocumented adults, marginalized populations and refugees, and legal and administrative capacity to handle adverse situations. It concludes by noting some areas needing particular attention. While the four countries are at different stages of maturity of their identity management systems, they are concerned with many of the same issues, such as increasing the coverage of civil registration, improving civil registration statistics, and advancing the efficiency, functionality, and coverage of their national identity management arrangements. Implicitly, the countries are attempting to provide all citizens, residents, and refugees with a legal identity, but in practice some of the countries fall short. The four countries have experienced, or are experiencing, internal conflict of varying degrees, from South Africa’s repressive apartheid regime to Afghanistan’s ongoing armed struggle, with Rwanda’s genocide as a defining moment for reconciliation, and Georgia’s latent ethnic frictions. Thus, despite the many differences between these four countries, they are instructive as a spectrum of approaches to identification management in post-conflict settings, with a number of commonalities. Keywords: Civil registration, governance, identity management, legal identity, citizenship, post- conflict, nationality, personal data protection Constructing the Foundations for Legal Identity in Post-Conflict Settings iii Table of contents Acknowledgements ...........................................................................i Abstract ......................................................................................ii Constructing the Foundations for Legal Identity ..............................................1 Methodology ................................................................................ 3 Pathways to legal identity ................................................................... 3 Overcoming obstacles and setting agendas for change ..................................... 3 Laying the foundations of legal identity for all: Four approaches ............................ 4 Afghanistan ..................................................................................5 Background and context .................................................................... 5 Registration of vital events in the past ......................................................8 Legal framework for establishing legal identity. .9 Identity cards .............................................................................. 15 Data protection ............................................................................18 2020: Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. 18 Chapter summary ..........................................................................19 Georgia .....................................................................................20 Background and context ...................................................................20 Legal framework for establishing legal identity . .22 Efforts to upgrade the civil register ........................................................27 Identity cards ..............................................................................32 Data protection ............................................................................33 2020: Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. 35 Chapter summary ..........................................................................36 Rwanda .....................................................................................38 Background and context ...................................................................38 Legal framework for establishing legal identity. 41 Protection and citizenship for refugees .....................................................46 Civil registration in Rwanda ................................................................46 Data protection ............................................................................53 2020: Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. 54 Chapter summary ..........................................................................54 South Africa .................................................................................56 Background and context ...................................................................56 Legal framework for establishing legal identity. 59 Civil registration and identity cards in the past . 63 Civil registration in South Africa today ......................................................64 Identity cards ..............................................................................68 Data protection ............................................................................70 2020: Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. 71 Chapter summary ..........................................................................73 Constructing the Foundations for iv Legal Identity in Post-Conflict Settings Conclusions ................................................................................74 Civil registration coverage and systems. .74 Legal identities for different categories of persons . 77 Data protection ............................................................................78 Civil registration during the pandemic .....................................................78 Overarching observations ..................................................................79 Works consulted ............................................................................81 List of tables Table 1. Afghanistan at a glance. ................................................................6 Table 2. Historical overview. ....................................................................6 Table 3. Afghanistan’s legal framework for establishing legal identity. ..........................9 Table 4. Georgia at a glance. ....................................................................21 Table 5. Historical overview. ....................................................................21