Zambia's mandatory identity document for citizens aged 16 and over — required to access government services, vote, open bank accounts, and engage in formal employment.
The National Registration Card is issued under the National Registration Act Cap. 126. Every Zambian citizen aged 16 or older is required to register and obtain an NRC. The NRC is the primary identity document for accessing public services, exercising voting rights, opening bank accounts, completing employment paperwork, and obtaining a passport. Failure to carry an NRC is a minor offence, but denial of services solely because a person lacks an NRC — when they are entitled to one — can constitute a rights violation.
A 17-year-old Zambian is denied registration for secondary school because she does not yet have an NRC. The school's demand is unlawful — an NRC is not a prerequisite for school enrolment. Her parents raise the issue with the District Education Board Secretary.
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