Population registers, repositories of up-to-date information on basic characteristics of all residents of a country, are recognized as international best practice by the United Nations for providing governments with critical information about the civil status of individuals within a population, including migration and marital status. This data—which should be updated mainly from the civil registration system—is key for supporting public health functions.
This technical guide elaborates on relevant definitions and outlines the conceptual framework for population registers as the first document in a knowledge series being developed by the Pacific Community (SPC) and Vital Strategies with support from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative.