The importance of creating a record of vital events such as births, deaths and marriages in a population is globally recognized. Creation of such a civil registry for citizens serves the purpose of creating a legal identity that could be used to protect and establish rights of individuals. Besides, these vital statistics and trends in a population help in policy, planning and governance.

UNFPA considers civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) to be a cornerstone of gender equality. Often enough a disproportionate amount of data omissions on CRVS relate to women and girls from disadvantaged population groups. This impedes women’s ability to access education or health care, to own and transfer assets, or in many instances to exercise their civil and political rights, including their right to vote. Women in vulnerable situations including those who are displaced by humanitarian emergencies can experience increased discrimination or exclusion while seeking support if they lack legal documentation. In this paper, we discuss the importance of marriage registration, the means for simplification of the process and how it contributes to improving women’s access to rights and entitlements.