The Practice of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System among Rural Councils in South-East Nigeria: The Epistemological and Empirical Values of Practice Theory
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Abstract
Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems are among the fundamental structures of analysis, projection, and postulation of the demographic status of every nation across the globe in the 21st century. As such, the nature of their management focuses on determining the quality of demographic data presented by each nation to the global community. Although the activities of vital registration have been modernized (digitalized) among the developed and some developing nations, the practice is still at its rudimentary stage among most developing nations, such as Nigeria, making it vulnerable to challenges induced by human behavioral dispositions. This study, which was conducted in south-east Nigeria, focused on, among other substantive issues, the challenges faced by the registrars of local council population authorities. The study adopted practice theory and a qualitative methodology, involving in-depth interviews with local registrars. According to the findings, ignorance, administrative issues, and geo-locations are among the prevailing challenges. Nevertheless, based on the findings, the study strengthened the epistemological and empirical values of practice theory in the area of social demography and equally raised unseen policy lapses therein.
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