Summary

Mozambique

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Mozambique Summary

Mozambique

Civil Registration System

Mozambique has a national civil registration system governed by the Civil Registration Code (Law No. 12/2004), revised by Law No. 12/2018. The system is administered by the Ministry of Justice, through the National Directorate of Registries and Notary Services. The revised Code established the e-SIRCEV electronic system, integrated with national ID and health systems. The legal framework mandates registration of all vital events and provides for electronic notification and transmission of data to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

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

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?

District level

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

No

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?

Yes

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

Yes a right to and process for appeal is provided for

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?

Yes

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 statistics, national identity system, medicolegal death investigation, and others?

Yes
Birth Registration

Mozambique’s Civil Registration Code mandates compulsory, free birth registration within 120 days. Registration is available to all children regardless of status. Parents or other informants must declare births. Births are registered at the registry office of occurrence or residence. The law clearly outlines the roles of informants, defines live birth in line with international norms, and requires issuing a birth certificate. 

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

Yes

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

Where must births be reported?

Place of residence of the mother

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

120 days

Are there any fees for on-time birth registration?

No

Is the original birth certificate provided free of charge?

No

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

Either parent

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

Either parent

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

Yes

Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth registration for every child born in the country?

Yes UPI assigned for every child born in country
Death Registration

The Civil Registration Code makes death registration mandatory within 48 hours (extendable up to 90 days). The process requires a medical certificate of cause of death or equivalent official documentation. Deaths are registered at the place of occurrence or last residence. Unnatural or suspicious deaths are referred to forensic/ medicolegal  services. A death certificate is issued at no cost. 

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

Yes

Where must deaths be reported?

Place of occurrence

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

No death is not defined by law

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

2 days/up to 90 days

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

Nearest relative

Are there any fees for on-time death registration?

No

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

Nearest relative

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

Yes

What role do local leaders or local authorities have in the registration process for deaths that occur in the community?

Notification

Does the law link retirment of a UPI and/or identity credential to death registration?

Yes

Is the original death certificate provided free of charge?

Yes
Medicolegal Death Investigation

Mozambique uses a forensic medical investigation system for suspicious deaths, with oversight from the Department of Legal Medicine, an arm of the Ministry of Health. Deaths due to external causes or without clear medical cause are referred to legal medicine. Certified causes are forwarded to the civil registrar as well as the health and statistics agencies.

Who is designated as the primary informant for unnatural or suspicious deaths?

Specified officer of the medical legal system

What type of medicolegal death investigation (MLDI) system does the country have?

Medial Examiner System

Does the law clearly state what types of cases must be referred to the MLDI authority and is this in accordance with international guidance?

Yes

Does the law mandate that law enforcement and/or heads of custodial institutions report all deaths in custody to the medicolegal death investigation authority?

No

For a death referred to the MLDI system, does the law specify how cause of death information is transmitted to the civil registrar and/or statistics agency?

Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Cause of Death

According to the Civil Registration Code of Mozambique, all deaths must be medically certified. The attending physician (or police or local authority when no doctor is available) must certify cause of death. The medical certificate is a required document for civil registration. The death certificate includes cause of death fields. 

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 occurring 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 standard form death certificate include cause of death information?

Yes

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

No
Stillbirth Reporting

Stillbirths are not explicitly recognised under the Civil Registration Code. However, the implied meaning of fetal death in the Code aligns with the definition of stillbirths ( as a subset of fetal deaths) within the UN guidelines. A medical certificate is required for fetal deaths at 22 weeks or more. Stillbirths are recorded in a separate civil registry, and the health sector notifies the civil registrar. 

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

No

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

No

What system(s) are used to report stillbirths?

Civil registration

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

Compulsory for all stillbirths

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

Unspecified

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

Issuing of evidence of stillbirth

Where must stillbirths be reported?

Unclear

Are there any fees for stillbirth registration?

Unclear

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

Unclear

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

Mandatory

Does the law require or request medical certification of cause of death for stillbirths? If yes, does the medical certificate of cause of death used, accord with the WHO MCCD form?

MCCD required but does not align with WHO MCCD
Vital Statistics

The National Institute of Statistics (INE) is legally mandated to compile and publish vital statistics from civil registration. The law requires regular transmission of data from registrars to INE, and data includes birth, death, stillbirth, and cause-of-death statistics. While data collection is improving, coverage remains incomplete in practice. 

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

Yes. National Institute of Statistics.

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)?

Yes

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

Yes

Are vital statistics compiled centrally?

Yes

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

Yes

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

Yes

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

Yes