In collaboration with the UN Population Fund, researchers are conducting a randomized evaluation in Nepal to increase the uptake of a digital registration system intended to improve service delivery and social protection.

Local governments are often best positioned to identify vulnerable populations and deliver critical services, but in fragile, post-conflict states, they frequently lack the state capacity to do so. This project focuses on Nepal, one of the world’s youngest democracies, which is building a digital Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system to improve service delivery and social protection. While the CRVS has transformative potential, registration remains relatively low—especially among women, migrants, and historically excluded groups.

In a recent survey of 2,255 local officials in Nepal, researchers found that while 90 percent use CRVS data for social protection and 78 percent for disaster relief, major gaps remain in both coverage and implementation. This randomized evaluation will identify barriers to access and assess the impact of cost-effective interventions to boost equitable registration to the CVRS system. In doing so, it will generate actionable evidence on how to build foundational state capacity and support inclusive, climate- and shock-resilient local governance in Nepal and other transitional settings.

Results will be available in 2027.

This project was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, awarded through the Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning Program, managed by IPA.

Implementing Partner