• Madagascar approved a law to integrate birth registration into a nationwide biometric census program.

• The reform targets adults without birth certificates to expand access to legal identity and public services.

• Authorities aim to strengthen electoral integrity and administrative data reliability ahead of upcoming elections.

National Assembly of Madagascar adopted on Tuesday, April 21, a bill on special birth registration as part of a mass biometric census program. The reform aims to strengthen the civil registry system and improve citizen identification.

Many Malagasy citizens lack birth certificates and therefore cannot access essential rights such as national identity cards or public services. Consequently, the government is prioritizing legal identity registration in the run-up to upcoming elections.

The law establishes a specific mechanism for individuals aged 18 and above who do not possess a birth certificate. The program allows continuous registration without a fixed deadline until the closure of the national biometric initiative. Authorities will combine biometric data collection with the regularization of previously unregistered births to issue legally recognized birth certificates.

On the operational front, authorities will involve local officials, including fokontany chiefs, to verify submitted information. In addition, applicants will rely on witnesses to support their declarations. The law also introduces penalties for false statements, while the government will strengthen the digital system to reduce duplication and improve registry reliability.

The reform comes as Madagascar prepares for upcoming electoral cycles and seeks to ensure more secure citizen identification systems. Authorities aim to improve the quality of administrative data to support more effective public policy management.

However, officials stated that the special registration process does not grant nationality automatically. Instead, the measure serves to regularize legal identity within the framework of the national biometric program.

This article was initially published in French by Ingrid Haffiny

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum