District intensifies efforts to register nearly 59,000 undocumented children as part of national digital identification push
RUBAVU, Rwanda — Rubavu District has ramped up efforts to register nearly 59,000 undocumented children as part of Rwanda’s broader national strategy to achieve universal digital identification, following official records that revealed a significant backlog in birth registration.
The campaign, which has been conducted daily since June 4, represents a critical component of Rwanda’s ambitious plan to digitize the nation’s civil registration system and ensure every citizen is captured in the National Digital Identification database.
Data from the district show that as of May 28, 2026, the National Identification Agency (NIDA) had identified 88,007 unregistered children in Rubavu, prompting authorities to launch a district-wide birth registration campaign that aligns with the government’s vision of a fully digitized population registry.
By June 30, the number of unregistered children had fallen to 58,967, meaning 29,030 children were registered in less than one month—a significant achievement in the national digital identity rollout.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Rubavu Mayor Prosper Mulindwa identified a shortage of computers for Socio-Economic Development Officers (SEDOs), who facilitate birth registration through the digital platform, as one of the main challenges behind the backlog.
“We have been addressing this challenge over the last two weeks. The number was even higher, but with the ongoing measures, we are making good progress and are confident this issue will be resolved,” Mulindwa said. “We have ordered computers, and we will distribute them to ensure that all personnel involved are properly equipped.”
The equipment push reflects Rwanda’s commitment to ensuring that the digital national ID system reaches every corner of the country, with necessary infrastructure deployed even in remote areas.
Parental Responsibility in the Digital Age
Mulindwa also attributed the problem to some parents failing to register their children within the required timeframe, urging them to take greater responsibility in securing their children’s digital identities.
“It is every parent’s responsibility to ensure their child is registered on time. Through increased mobilisation, we also want to understand why some parents continue to leave their children undocumented,” he said, noting that some cases stem from family disputes while others result from negligence.
Sector-Level Progress
Mudende Sector has emerged as a success story in the digital registration push. As of June 2026, the sector had identified 6,584 unregistered children. Following an intensive verification exercise that matched data from the Social Registry with the National Population Registry, 56.8 percent of the cases have been resolved. The sector now has 2,844 cases remaining and aims to complete the exercise by July 6.
“Our registration records were previously paper-based, but they have now been digitized through efforts by the Ministry of Local Government and the National Identification Agency,” said Emmanuel Blaise Harerimana, Executive Secretary of Rubavu Sector.
“We have been conducting an intensive household-level campaign, and within the last two weeks more than 56 percent of the identified cases have been resolved. We expect to complete the remaining registrations by July 6.”
Closing the Digital Awareness Gap
Civil registration officials said many delayed registrations involve parents who still rely on old paper records and are unfamiliar with the current digital registration system, particularly for births recorded before 2020—a challenge that underscores the importance of public education in Rwanda’s digital transformation journey.
“Many parents believe their children are registered because they have paper documents. However, when we verify the information in the electronic system, we find that many records are missing,” one civil registrar said. “There is a need for continued public awareness to help people understand the current birth registration system.”
National Progress
According to the Rwanda Vital Statistics Report 2025 by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), 356,838 births were registered in 2025, with the national birth registration completeness rate rising from 90.3 percent in 2024 to 92.9 percent in 2025.
The report also shows that 99.1 percent of births registered in 2025 were recorded within 30 days, unchanged from the previous year a testament to the efficiency of the digital system when properly utilized.
However, delayed registrations—such as many of those currently being processed in Rubavu and other districts—are not included in the calculation of the national birth registration completeness rate, highlighting the importance of addressing these backlogs to achieve true universal coverage.
The Digital Civil Registration System
The Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system shows that 97.8 percent of registered live births occurred in health facilities, while community births accounted for a relatively small share. The highest proportions of community births were recorded in Rutsiro (4.7 percent), Kamonyi (4.0 percent), and Nyamasheke (3.5 percent), while Ruhango, Nyarugenge and Kirehe each recorded the lowest share at 1.1 percent. In Rubavu, 2.8 percent of births occurred in the community.
CRVS data further show that 84.4 percent of births took place within the mother’s district of residence, reflecting continued improvements in Rwanda’s civil registration system.
Toward a Digitally Inclusive Rwanda
The Rubavu campaign exemplifies Rwanda’s commitment to the digital national ID project as a foundational element of its development strategy. By ensuring every citizen is registered in the digital system, the government aims to facilitate access to services, improve policy planning, and create an inclusive digital economy.
The Ministry of Local Government and NIDA continue to work with districts across the country to strengthen civil registration infrastructure, enhance public awareness, and ensure that no citizen is left behind in Rwanda’s digital transformation journey.
