Boshe, P. (2021). Digital Identity in Tanzania: Case study conducted as part of a ten-country exploration of socio-digital ID systems in parts of Africa<\/i> (Towards the Evaluation of Digital ID Ecosystems in Africa: Findings from Ten Countries) [Case study]. Research ICT Africa (RIA).<\/p>\n
Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n The <\/span>Universal Declaration of Human Rights<\/span> (UNGA, 1948) declared the right <\/span>for everyone to be recognised as a person before the law. On this basis, <\/span>international organisations and countries around the world have devised <\/span>initiatives and systems to promote and ensure everyone is identified and <\/span>legally recognised as a person. <\/span>Identification systems (ID system) created for this purpose provide <\/span>individuals with some form of an identity artefact (such as a card) <\/span>containing personal identification information. The identity artefact gives a <\/span>person not only a legal identity but also facilitates individual access to civic <\/span>services. <\/span><\/p>\n This research evaluates the ID system in Tanzania, the National Identity <\/span>Authority (NIDA). The identification and registration process are still <\/span>ongoing, with about 74% of the eligible population registered. However, <\/span>the overall evaluation of the NIDA ID system shows a potential exclusion <\/span>to civic services, system insecurity, insufficient protection framework and <\/span>lack of redress system. <\/span><\/p>\n To avoid exclusion, it is recommended that the government reconsider its <\/span>objective in making NIDA IDs exclusive IDs, instead allow the use of other <\/span>functional IDs parallel with the NIDA IDs. It is further recommended that <\/span>the law governing the ID system be reviewed to improve the security and <\/span>protection framework.<\/span><\/p>\n