Systematic registration of vital and civil events, including birth, death, causes of death, marriage, and divorce is critical for improving maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. When integrated into existing health information systems, these statistics become valuable evidence, giving policymakers and practitioners the knowledge they need to review the circumstances leading to each maternal and child death, identify preventable factors, and take action where needed. Such crucial information systems are lacking in many countries. It is estimated that one-third of the world's births and two-thirds of the world's deaths are not registered or are incorrectly certified. Where global norms, standards, and tools exist, they are not readily accessible and useable to those who need them most. Funded by Global Affairs Canada and IDRC, and housed at IDRC, the Centre of Excellence for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems will link knowledge seekers with information, tools, and expertise to facilitate the development and implementation of integrated CRVS systems. The Centre of Excellence will coordinate with existing expert groups to generate, consolidate, and disseminate information, including by developing an open-access electronic platform so that key resources will be readily accessible. It will facilitate exchange of good practices and capacity strengthening, and will play an important role in brokering technical assistance for countries needing more direct support. The Centre of Excellence will work closely with the Global Financing Facility in support of the 'Every Woman Every Child' initiative to enable the development and implementation of CRVS systems plans as part of country-led Investment cases for Global Financing Facility financing. This project enables the Centre of Excellence to organize and/or participate in meetings and events that encourage targeted and continuous engagement with relevant global, regional, and country-level stakeholders. This will contribute to the development and evolution of the Centre of Excellence, and mobilize the community of practice to deliver key priorities that inform and advance CRVS globally. Stakeholder engagement and regular coordination will ensure that activities of the Centre of Excellence do not duplicate the work of existing entities, but rather build on what exists, support ongoing initiatives, and add value to efforts aimed at strengthening CRVS systems in countries eligible for Global Financing Facility financing. The project will also facilitate multi-sectoral engagement and build momentum to ensure that CRVS systems are foundational to health information systems.