2 Remove barriers to access and use. • Direct and indirect costs. Costs to the individual must never be a barrier to obtain identity credentials required to fulfill rights or access basic services or entitlements. For example, civil registration and the initial issuance of birth and death certificates and other legal identity credentials should be free of charge for the individual. If fees are charged for certain additional services (such as reissuance of lost credentials), rates should be reasonable, proportional to costs incurred, and transparent to the public. The indirect costs of obtaining identification—including fees for supporting documents, travel costs, and cumbersome administrative procedures— must also be minimized. • Information asymmetries. Stakeholders must work to reduce information and knowledge barriers and disparities that might prevent individuals— such as linguistic minorities, people with low literacy levels, persons with disabilities, and others—from accessing or using identification and foster a culture of trust and accountability by increasing literacy and sensitization around the system. Information and education campaigns and other materials must be inclusive and accessible to ensure that everyone has the knowledge, capacity, and tools they need to participate in the identification system and exercise their rights to oversight and control. • Technology gaps. While technology is a key enabler of identification systems, no one should be denied identification or associated services and rights because they lack mobile or internet connectivity, electronic devices, digital literacy or digital skills, the comfort or ability to use certain technology, or because of technology biases or failures. Stakeholders should therefore work together to ensure that identification and authentication services are available and usable for everyone, regardless of digital resources, skills, or connectivity. Furthermore, accessible exceptionhandling procedures and grievance redress mechanisms are necessary to avoid denial of services or rights and in the case of technical difficulties. • Inclusion by design. Identification systems should prioritize the needs and address the concerns of marginalized and vulnerable groups who are most at risk of being excluded and who are the most in need of the protections and benefits identification can provide. This requires working with communities to proactively identify legal, procedural, social, and economic barriers faced by particular groups, risks and impacts specific to these groups, and adopting appropriate technologies and mitigation measures to ensure that new or updated identification systems do not reinforce or deepen existing inequalities. Principles on Identification for Sustainable Development 13