CHAPTER 51
BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ACT

Arrangement of Sections

   Section

   1.   Short title

   2.   Interpretation

   3.   Districts

   4.   Appointment of Registrar-General and Registrars, etc.

   5.   Registration of births and deaths

   6.   Prescribed forms

   7.   Registrars to forward notices to Registrar-General

   8.   Registers of births and deaths

   9.   Penalty for failing to give notice

   10.   Registers may be inspected

   11.   Certified copies of entries

   12.   Evidence of certified copy

   13.   Clerical errors in registers may be corrected

   14.   Responsibility for giving notice

   15.   Notice of birth of illegitimate child

   16.   Notice of birth of abandoned child

   17.   Alteration of name of child

   18.   Who is to give notice of death

   19.   Notice by person finding an exposed body

   20.   Penalties

   21.   Rules

   22.   Repeals and savings

AN ACT

to provide for a uniform law for the registration of all births and deaths in Zambia, without distinction of origin or descent; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.

[23rd March, 1973]

Act 21 of 1973,

Act 13 of 1994.

1.   Short title

This Act may be cited as the Births and Deaths Registration Act.

2.   Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“child” includes an illegitimate child;

“district” means any one of the districts into which Zambia shall be divided pursuant to the provisions of this Act;

“Registrar” means the person appointed to be Registrar of Births and Deaths for a district and shall include an Acting Registrar;

“Registrar-General” means the person appointed to be Registrar-General of Births and Deaths for Zambia and shall include an Acting Registrar-General;

“still-born” shall apply to any child which has issued forth from its mother after the twenty- eighth week of pregnancy and which did not at any time after being completely expelled from its mother, breathe or show any other signs of life.

3.   Districts

The Minister may from time to time by statutory instrument divide Zambia into districts for the purposes of this Act or alter such districts.

4.   Appointment of Registrar-General and Registrars, etc.

There shall be appointed a Registrar-General of Births and Deaths for Zambia, and a Registrar of Births and Deaths for each district, and, if the Minister so considers necessary, a Deputy Registrar-General of Births and Deaths and an Assistant Registrar-General of Births and Deaths, who shall all be public officers:

Provided that, in any district in which there is for the time being no Registrar, the Minister may be statutory instrument confer the powers and duties of a Registrar of Births and Deaths under this Act on any person, whether he is a public officer or not.