4 Definitions and Scope These Principles are intended to apply broadly to the creation and use of identification systems4 to advance development goals. Because of their central role in realizing individual rights and facilitating access to basic services and entitlements in the physical and digital worlds, the focus of the Principles is on “official” identification systems provided by, on behalf of, or recognized by governments.5 While each country typically has a unique constellation of official identification systems that can differ greatly in their purpose, provider, technology, architecture, use, and governance arrangements, these systems can be broadly categorized as “legal” or “functional” identification systems. Legal identification systems provide recognition before the law and proof of legal identity. The name and nature of legal identification systems varies under national law, but typically includes civil registration systems, national identification systems, population registries, and other foundational identification systems.6 Functional identification systems provide official proof of identity and authorization for particular purposes or sectors. This typically includes identification systems that provide voter identification, ration cards, social security numbers, health cards, tax numbers, and more; in some cases these credentials may also be recognized as proof of identity for other purposes or sectors.7 Given the overwhelming trend toward digitalization of economies and societies, the Principles reflect the increasingly digital nature of official identification systems. For example, many provide official digital credentials and services (such as mobile IDs, digital certificates, e-signatures, etc.) that enable automated and remote authentication for access to services and entitlements, both in person and online. In some cases, governments have built these systems themselves. In others, countries have developed ecosystems of digital identity providers that rely on existing official identification systems for identity proofing and enrollment. Under a federated ecosystem model, for example, multiple public and/or private entities operating within a trust framework can issue officially recognized digital identity credentials. Emerging decentralized identity architectures and standards are also creating possibilities to store and verify official digital credentials on personal devices. For the remainder of this document, the term “identification system” is used to refer to the analog and digital versions of the official identification systems described above. 4 Broadly speaking, identification systems collect and validate identity data through a registration process and then provide people with credentials—such as certificates, cards, or other identity documents—they can use to authenticate themselves or verify specific identity attributes to a third party that needs to rely on their identity or attribute claims. 5 Government recognized ID systems are enabled by and adhere to a country’s legal framework, and are based on an identity proofing process that involves validating the holder against government-issued credentials and/or authoritative source registries such as civil registration systems, national identification systems, or population registers. 6 Governments retain ultimate responsibility for legal identification (see, for example, the Official UN Operational Definition of Legal Identity, ECOSOC resolution E/CN.3/2020/15). Although proof of legal identity—particularly birth and/or marriage registration—is frequently a requirement for acquiring a nationality, legal identification need not be linked to nationality and should not be equated with legal or national status. While some legal identification systems (e.g., national identification systems) require or constitute proof of nationality, others do not. 7 In the case of asylum seekers and refugees, although host states are primarily responsible for providing proof of a legal identity for refugees who do not have valid travel documents, the credentials issued by the UN Refugee Agency under its mandate on behalf of the host state can be recognized as proof of legal or official identity (1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, Articles 25 and 27; 1950 Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).