The Federal Government of Somalia and the Somaliland administration have put in place domestic laws and policies that provide for the recognition and official registration of vital events, including marriage, divorce, and death, as essential components of establishing and maintaining legal identity and civil status. These frameworks are critical not only for the general population but also for forcibly displaced persons (FDPs)—such as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugee-returnees—whose access to legal protections and essential services often depends on the availability of recognized civil documentation.

In Somalia, the adoption of the National Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Policy in 2021 marked a major step toward formalizing procedures for the systematic recording of life events. The policy sets out standardized protocols for registering marriages, divorces, deaths, and other vital events, and aims to ensure that all individuals—regardless of origin, gender, or displacement status—are legally visible and documented within the national system. This legal recognition is essential for exercising rights such as inheritance, custody, remarriage, and next-of-kin entitlements, as well as for enabling access to healthcare, education, legal aid, and social services.

In Somaliland, similar provisions are being implemented through civil registration structures at the municipal and regional levels. Marriage, divorce, and death records are maintained by local authorities and are often integrated into broader civil registration initiatives supported by government and development partners. For displaced persons, these systems offer a pathway to re-establish legal identity, restore family unity, and participate more fully in civil and economic life.

Efforts are ongoing across both Somalia and Somaliland to expand coverage, harmonize procedures, and build institutional capacity to ensure that civil registration systems are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of vulnerable and mobile populations. These reforms, often carried out in coordination with humanitarian and development actors, are essential for promoting legal empowerment, protection, and durable solutions for FDPs and their families.