This report aims to guide policymakers and legislators in drafting and implementing privacy- protecting domestic data protection frameworks. The report was prepared in the context of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 16.9, which aims to provide “legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.” Legal identity is central to the achievement of several other SDGs, and data generated from legal identity programmes is crucial for the measurement of over 60 other SDG targets.
In addition to traditional identification systems, such as the core civil registration of births, deaths, marriages, adoptions, divorces, etc., governments are also increasingly implementing related, digitally- enhanced, identity management programmes, which often process biometric data, and which are popularly referred to as ‘digital ID’ systems. These new systems seek to enhance the efficiency of public service delivery, formulation of public policy, and monitor implementation, while leveraging advancements in digital and information technologies. By their very nature, legal identity programmes rely on the collection and processing of citizens’ and residents’ personal data. While such programmes may support the achievement of various policy goals, they also have significant implications for the privacy rights of individuals. Consequently, it is more important than ever for governments to develop identity systems that respect individuals’ right to privacy and enable effective protection of their personal data.
The report identifies key considerations and various approaches to data protection for Member States to contemplate when crafting domestic data protection laws. Over the course of different chapters, the report examines various regional data protection frameworks and explores the key elements of data protection typically covered in these frameworks.
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