Simprints supports ID4Africa’s ID Day

The Identity Day (ID Day) Campaign is the ongoing call for government authorities in all countries worldwide to officially recognise 16 September as Identity Day. Learn more in this joint blog from ID4Africa and Simprints.

Why Identity Day?

Having proof of one’s identity is a fundamental human right, and a practical necessity, especially in the context of this modern digital age. Very few social constructs play as foundational a role in our lives as personal identity, yet the world does not commemorate it. Through a dedicated commemorative day, we hope to promote a responsible narrative about the most important human asset – our legal identity.

What is the significance of the date: 16 September?

The choice of the date 16 September (16.9) is highly symbolic. It is in commemoration of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 which calls for the provision of legal identity for all by 2030, including birth registration.

The Call for identity to have a day of observance was initiated by ID4Africa in 2018 at its 4th Annual General Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. The Call was enthusiastically received by the global identity stakeholder community, who saw in this initiative a rallying cry to actively acknowledge the importance of SDG 16.9 and to keep countries focused on its achievement.

Founded in 2014, ID4Africa is an Identity-for-All Movement dedicated to helping African nations develop robust and responsible identity ecosystems for socio-economic and digital development, and humanitarian action.

What do we commemorate on ID Day?

Identity Day is a moment for us to pause and reflect on three fundamentals in identity:

• INCLUSION — ID Day sensitizes us to the plight of those who lack proof of identity (estimated at 850 million, with about half in Africa) and reaffirms our commitment to achieving total inclusion, so that no one is left behind.
• PROTECTION — ID Day is a reminder, for those who have proof of identity, to verify that their identity is secured against theft and their privacy is protected. It reaffirms that protecting our most valuable asset is an ongoing concern.
• EMPOWERMENT — ID Day is also the opportunity for those who possess identification, to assess whether they are reaping the highest returns on their identity by asking how well their identity can be used to empower them and facilitate various aspects of daily life. It is the ideal occasion to call on service providers to adopt identity-enabled service delivery. 

Why does Identity Day matter?

Identity Day is an opportunity for the leadership of a country to mobilize the population, create dialogue and raise awareness about the importance of identity in general and three critical dimensions: Inclusion, Protection, Empowerment.

For details on the history and motivation surrounding the ID Day campaign, along with ways in which individuals, public or private institutions or community members can support, read the ID Day Guide.

Simprints is a Coalition Partner

Simprints has joined over 260 international organisations, namely development agencies, government, non-profits, and institutions of public interest, such as civil society organisations, to support the call as Coalition Partners. Becoming a Coalition Partner shows Simprints’ support and commitment to the Initiative calling for the recognition of 16 September as Identity Day.

Simprints CEO, Toby Norman, commented:

“We believe that identity is a fundamental human right and essential for accessing critical services such as vaccination programs.

We work with partners around the world, helping verify services reach vulnerable people who frequently have no legal identity. Therefore, we know ID can be life-changing and even life-saving.”

Hear from the community members whose lives have been touched by Simprints’ digital ID platform.

Learn more about the importance of ID Day and how ID4Africa, Simprints and the rest of the Coalition are working towards the call to officially observe 16 September as ID Day  at www.id-day.org.