Summary

Bolivia

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Bolivia Summary
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Bolivia

Civil Registration System

Bolivia has a national level agency, called the Servicio de Registro Cívico—SERECI (Civic Register System) that is responsible for procedures of birth and death registration, and stillbirth reporting. The powers and functions of the SERECI are regulated through Law No. 18 of June 16, 2010, and the Supreme Decree No. 24247 of March 7, 1999. Through these legal instruments the SERECI has broad and sufficient powers to fulfill its functions for Civil Registration. The legal instruments that govern the SERECI largely accord with international guidelines on civil registration.  However, these instruments do not mention whether transmission of information between the local civil registration offices to SERECI, and between SERECI and the national statistics agency must be conducted on regular basis.

Does the law designate a national level agency responsible for civil registration?

Yes. Servicio de Registro Cívico—SERECI (Civic Register System)

Does the law provide for a uniform process to complete civil registrations across the country?

Yes

At what level of civil division are primary registration offices located?

Municipal and town level.

Does the law establish or authorize the establishment of secondary civil registration offices under the jurisdiction of the primary civil registration office?

Authorized by the law

Is the local civil registrar empowered by law to register vital events? If yes, do they have the power to issue certificates of registration?

Yes civil registrar empowered to register vital events and issue certificates

Does the law require the local civil registration office to transmit registration records to the national civil registration authority on a regular and timely basis?

Unclear

Does the law provide for a process and the right to appeal a decision of a civil registrar?

Yes

Does the law authorize the local civil registrar to use mobile registration to reach remote or rural areas?

No

Does the law require that the civil registration authority share data with the agency responsible for producing vital statistics, on a regular and timely basis?

No

Does the law block the use of technology, such as electronic collection, transmission and storage of data, within the civil registration system?

No

Is there a national coordinating committee to address issues on the functioning of the civil registration system and its integration with other systems, such as the health sector, vital statisitcs, national identity system, medicolegal death investigation, and others?

No
Birth Registration

Birth registration in Bolivia is governed by different legal instruments including, laws, Supreme Decrees and Ministerial Resolutions. Each of these instruments regulate different aspects of birth registration, such as the legal obligation to register all births (Law No. 548 of July 17, 2014), the functions of the SERECI (Law No. 18 of June 16, 2010), and the procedure to register birth (Supreme Decree 24247 of March 7, 1999). The forms used for declaration and notification of births are provided in the Ministry of Health issued  Ministerial Resolution No. 090 of March 6, 2018. Additionally, the Manual for Medical Certification of Vital Events of 2016 instructs medical professionals on how to fill the form of the declaration and notification of births form. Our legal analysis of Bolivian laws reveals that under the law, birth registrations are universal, compulsory, and free. There are clear processes laid in the law governing the registration procedure. The roles for informants and the health sector are also clearly identified.

Is birth registration available and compulsory for all births occurring within the country's jurisdiction?

Yes

What are the reporting periods for birth registration specified in law?

1 year if born in urban areas, 2 years if born in the provinces

Does the law provide a clear definition of live birth? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

Yes live birth is defined by law and accords with international guidelines

Are there any fees for on-time birth registration?

No

Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring in health facilities?

Either parent

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed birth registration?

Yes

Who is designated the primary informant for births occurring outside health facilities?

Either parent

Is the first copy of birth certificate provided free of charge?

Yes

Where must births be reported?

Unclear

Does the law specify the process and responsibilities for registering the birth of a child who was abandoned and whose parents are not known?

Yes

Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth?

Unclear
Death Registration

Death registration in Bolivia is governed by different legal instruments, including, laws, Supreme Decrees and Ministerial Resolutions. Similar to birth registration, each instrument regulates different aspects of death registration, such as the functions of the national registration agency SERECI (Law No. 18 of June 16, 2010) and the procedure to register deaths (Supreme Decree 24247 of March 7, 1999). The forms used for medical certification of cause of death are provided in Ministerial Resolution No. 291, 7 of May 2002. Death registrations are compulsory, available and free for all deaths occurring in the territory of Bolivia. There are clear procedures laid in the law governing the death registration process. However, the hierarchy of informants is not clearly identified.

Is death registration available and compulsory for all events occurring in the country's jurisdiction?

Yes

Where must deaths be reported?

Does the law provide a clear definition of death? If yes, does the definition accord with international guidelines?

Yes death is defined by law and accords with international guidelines

What are the reporting time periods for death registration specified in the law?

24 hours (1 day)

Who is designated as the primary informant for natural deaths that occur in a health facility?

Unclear

Are there any fees for death registration?

No

Who is designated primary informant for natural deaths occurring outside a health facility?

Unclear

Are there additional or alternative documents required for late or delayed death registration?

Unclear

What role do local leaders or local authorities have in death registration?

Yes

Does the law specify the process to retire legal identity after death?

Unclear

Is the first copy of death certificate issued free of charge?

Does the law clearly state the procedure to register death of an unknown person?

No
Cause of Death

Does the law require a cause of death (CoD) to register a death?

Yes medical certificate of cause of death required

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death, for natural deaths occurring in a health facility?

Yes

Does the law designate a certifier of cause of death, for natural deaths occuring under medical supervision but outside a health facility?

Yes

Does the law provide a form to certify cause of death? If yes, does the form accord with WHO Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Form?

Yes the law provides a form for certifying cause of death that accords with WHO standard MCCD Form

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death when deaths are unnatural or suspicious, or otherwise referred to the MLDI authority?

Yes

Does the death certificate include cause of death information?

Yes

If the MCCD contains a section for reporting manner of death, is the certifier required to fill it out?

Yes

Does the law allow for the use of verbal autopsy when there is no MCCD?

Yes
Stillbirth Reporting

Does the law provide a definition of fetal death? If yes, does the definition of foetal death accord with international guidelines?

Yes foetal death is defined by law and accords with International Guidelines

Does the law provide a definition of stillbirth? If yes, does the definition of stillbirth accord with international guidelines?

No

What system(s) are used to report stillbirths?

Health Sector

Is stillbirth registration available and compulsory for all stillbirths occuring within the country's jurisdiction?

Who is the designated primary informant for declaring stillbirths to the civil registrar?

What is the role of the health sector in stillbirth registration?

Where must stillbirths be reported?

Are there any fees for stillbirth registration?

No

Does the civil register contain a separate register for stillbirths, distinct from birth and death registers?

Does the law mandate reporting of all stillbirths through the health sector?

Does the law require a medical certificate of cause of death to report a stillbirth? If yes, does the medical certificate of cause of death used, accord with the WHO MCCD form?

Yes
Vital Statistics

Does the legal framework designate the entity or entities responsible for compiling vital statistics in the country?

Yes. National Statistics Institute.

Are vital statistics derived from the civil registration system?

Yes

Are there clear procedures and timeframes in the legal framework to facilitate sharing data from the civil registration agency to the national statistics agency(ies)?

No

Does the law require that civil registration data be anonymized before it is shared with the national statistics agency(ies)?

Yes

Are vital statics compiled centrally?

Yes

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at birth registration?

Partially

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected at death registration?

Partially

Are the UN recommended high priority statistical topics collected for stillbirths (either through civil registration or the Ministry of Health)?

No