Liberia Civil Registration

From FamilySearch Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Liberia Wiki Topics
Flag of Liberia.svg.png
Beginning Research
Record Types
Liberia Background
Local Research Resources

Online Records[edit | edit source]

How to Find the Records[edit | edit source]

Offices to Contact[edit | edit source]

For Births and Deaths

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
P. O. Box 10-9009
1000 Monrovia 10
Liberia
West Africa

For Statutory/Western/Faith-based Marriages

The Center for National Documents, Records and Archives (CNDRA)
National Archives Building 12th Street
Sinkor, Monrovia
Liberia
West Africa

Telephone: 0770- 824304
Email: info@cndra.gov.lr

For Traditional/Customary Marriages

Ministry of Internal Affairs
Email: Form to send an email

For Divorces

Divorces are supposed to be done in a court. Records of divorce cases are confidential, and the records should not be shared with anyone.

However for traditional marriages, the divorce could be done in a variety of ways according to customs and traditions.[1]

Historical Background[edit | edit source]

Births and Deaths

"...in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is an office of Vital Statistics which" is "charged with the administration of uniform registration of births and deaths occurring in Liberia and the permanent and safe preservation of all records received or made...[2]

Marriages

The Repbublic of Liberia has two types of legal marriages: western or faith-based marriages and traditional/customary marriages.

The legal age for marriage is 18 years for females and 21 years for males.
Exemptions: Traditional marriages can occur at age 16 for both sexes with parents’ or guardians’ consent. However, the Liberian Children’s Act (2011) provides that no person or society shall subject a child to marrying any person when she or he is still under the age of 18 (section 4).[3]

Western/Faith-Based Marriages

A Registrar of Marriages is assigned in each county, territory, and chartered district to create and keep marriage licenses and marriage records. At the end of each year, the registrar sends the record books to the Center of National Documents and Records Agency.[4]

Traditional/Customary Marriages

The Ministry of Internal Affairs manages tribal affairs, apparently including traditional marriage records.[5]

Traditional/customary law allows men to have up to four wives in polygamy.[6]

Example of a traditional marriage certificate application

Divorce

For an explanation of divorce in Liberia, see Divorce: An Overview of the Law, by corpusjurisliberia.

Coverage and Compliance[edit | edit source]

Information Recorded in the Records[edit | edit source]

Births[edit | edit source]

Information[3]

Regarding the child:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Sex
  • Weight at birth
  • Date of registration
  • Place of occurrence [of the birth]
  • Place of registration
  • Attendant at birth

Regarding the mother of the child:

  • Date of birth or age
  • Marital status
  • Occupation
  • Nationality
  • Place of usual residence

Regarding the father of the child:

  • Date of birth or age
  • Marital status
  • Occupation
  • Nationality

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Information[3]

Regarding the bride:

  • Date of birth or age
  • Place of usual residence
  • Religion of the bride

Regarding the groom:

  • Date of birth or age
  • Place of usual residence
  • Religion of the groom

Regarding the marriage:

  • Date of marriage
  • Date of registration
  • Place of marriage
  • Place of registration

Deaths[edit | edit source]

Information[3]

Regarding the deceased:

  • Name
  • Sex
  • Date of birth or age
  • Citizenship

Regarding the death:

  • Date of death
  • Date of registration
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Type of place of death (hospital, home, etc.)

Information for fetal death:

  • Date of fetal delivery
  • Date of registration
  • Place of registration
  • Sex of the fetus

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ corpusjurisliberia, Divorce: An Overview of the Law, accessed 17 December 2019.
  2. ↑ UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women, UNICEF Data for Liberia, accessed 16 December 2019. "Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information." The 1976 Public Health Law, Chapter 51, Subchapter B.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women, UNICEF Data for Liberia, accessed 7 November 2019. "Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information."
  4. ↑ Liberia, Center for National Documents and Records Agency, CNDRA Act of 1977, section 81.11, p. 5, accessed 17 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Ministry of Internal Affairs, MIA Act, p. 349, accessed 17 December 2019.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia, Polygamy in Liberia, accessed 17 December 2019.
Retrieved from "https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Liberia_Civil_Registration&oldid=4218362"