ic -review and customization of crvs reforms bill for adoption/approval in ajk

Title of consultancy:

Review and Customization of CRVS Reforms Bill for Adoption/Approval in AJK

Background:

Civil registration is an important act of recording and documenting vital events in a person's life (including birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc.) and is therefore a fundamental function of governments. A strong Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system is a fundamental requirement for, and a sign of, a strong and developed economy. Given the significance and relationship that an efficient CRVS system has towards the development of a country, the Government of Pakistan is making serious efforts and has gained momentum to strengthen and revamp its CRVS system. This also applies to Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), which, due to its unique administrative status, requires tailored reforms for CRVS implementation. AJK's geographic spread, including mountainous and hard-to-reach areas, presents distinctive challenges to timely registration and uniform service delivery. AJK operates under its own set of laws and administrative protocols, which necessitate contextual adaptation of national legal frameworks to align with its governance system. It is also driven by the need for reliable and timely data needed for tracking progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A sound legal framework is the basis of a universal and responsive CRVS system. It is essential for the effective management, operation and maintenance of the system. In the absence of a proper legal framework that obliges individuals to register vital events and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved, civil registration systems cannot function. Currently, there exist fragmented legislation (with various ambiguities and issues) pertaining to individual components of CRVS (e.g. births, deaths, marriage, and divorce) but a comprehensive, uniform CRVS law/Act is lacking and is very much desired. Based on the national policy, a CRVS reforms package was designed, and the legislation, rules, regulations and bylaws/SOPs need to be reviewed, updated and amended in compliance with policy action points. Therefore, an overarching/umbrella CRVS law was initiated to bridge the legal gaps and inconsistencies and has been developed through an extensive consultative process involving all relevant federal and provincial stakeholders. It now needs to be customized at the provincial and regional level, including for AJK, according to their specific needs and priorities before submission for approval, as per the process in place.

Under this objective, UNFPA intends to support the Government of AJK by acquiring the services of a qualified national expert for a short-term engagement who will review and customize the draft CRVS Bill in consultation with relevant stakeholders to ensure uniform registration practices across the state and eliminate inconsistencies or disparities in registering the vital events across different jurisdictions

Purpose and Objective of the consultancy

Purpose:

The purpose of this consultancy is to review the draft CRVS Reform Bill developed at the national level and customize it to the specific context of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), making it ready for submission to the competent authority for approval. Improving legal framework will contribute to ensure participation of all the stakeholders, coordination among stakeholders, defining clear role and responsibilities, establishing effective management structure, and providing necessary legal cover and technical framework for improving the registration of vital events and ensuring the availability of accurate and timely statistics for evidence-based planning, policymaking, and resource allocation.

Objectives:

The specific objective of this consultancy includes:

• To support the Government of AJK in strengthening the legal and institutional framework for civil registration by customizing the national CRVS Reform Bill in alignment with AJK's governance context, international standards, and human rights principles to strengthen Civil Registration System, address procedural gaps, reduce barriers to registration, and promote equitable access for all segments of the population.

To enhance the consistency, efficiency, and accessibility of registration services AJK through introducing reforms in legal framework.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The consultant's responsibilities will encompass, but is not limited to:

1. Conduct a comprehensive situation analysis and desk review of the existing provincial/state laws, regulations, and practices related to the registration of vital events in AJK, particularly marriage and divorce, to identify legal and operational gaps, redundancies, and inconsistencies. This includes evaluating current registration forms against international standards.

2. Engage and coordinate with all relevant stakeholders and departments, particularly the Local Government Department, to understand the legal, regulatory, and implementation landscape of CRVS reforms, including the status of existing efforts and any structural or procedural redundancies.

3. Customize the available draft CRVS Reform Bill to the AJK context, ensuring alignment with the national CRVS reform package, local realities, international best practices, and human rights principles. The customized version should include clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders.

4. Facilitate consultative meetings and workshops with stakeholders to share key findings from the situation analysis and orient participants on the proposed CRVS Reform Bill.

5. Finalize the customized CRVS Bill based on feedback received during stakeholder consultations and in coordination with relevant departments to process it for approval.

Main Deliverables/Outputs, Delivery dates:

Inception Report: Within 10 days of contract signing, the consultant is required to submit an inception report.

Consolidated Situation Analysis Report: based on the desk review and engagement with the stakeholders, covering existing legal framework and marriage & divorce registration practices

Draft CRVS Bill for AJK: Revised/customized draft, finalized and agreed through consultative process and other necessary documents such as proposal, summary and working paper to be submitted to the government for approval of the draft bill

Final Assignment Report: Prepare a final report summarizing the consultant's work and outcomes achieved. It will also include the details of the consultations

Duration and working schedule:

This assignment is deliverable and will be completed before December 15, 2025,

Place where services are to be delivered:

Local Government and Rural Development Department, AJK

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The expert/consultant will work closely with the Local Government department, Health Department and Religious Affairs department and Law department of AJK and relevant units of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Regular coordination and communication with Local Government management, relevant technical staff, UNFPA Assistant Representative, and PD Program Analyst are required. Reporting requirements, periodicity, format, and deadlines will be determined in consultation with LG department and UNFPA.

Supervisory arrangements:

The expert will work under the overall guidance of the Secretary of the Local Government Department, AJK, and the direct supervision of the UNFPA Representative, with close coordination from the PD unit for technical and programmatic guidance. The expert will also collaborate closely with relevant staff from the Local Government Department, the UNFPA PD unit, and other national stakeholders and partners as needed.

Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies, including language requirements:

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and expertise:

1. Master's degree or higher in Law or a relevant combination of education.

2. At least 10 years' experience in relevant subjects.

3. Excellent organizational skills coupled with an ability to reach consensus.

4. Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in existing government working mechanisms, legal & policy analysis, legal practice and participation in legal and strategic forums

5. Leverage to work with senior government officials. Strong diplomatic and personal attributes are required that his/her neutrality and impartiality are established among all stakeholders.

6. working experience in the areas of civil registration and vital statistics will be an added advantage.

Excellent inter-personal and general communication skills and fluency in oral and written English.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

The consultant will work in a hybrid mode, combining in-person presence at the Local Government Department, AJK, with remote work as needed. The consultant is expected to use her/his own computer or laptop for the assignment.

1

September 30, 2025

October 5, 2025

UNFPA

Data Science

Consultant

Masters

Consultant

10 Years