A Primer on Biometrics for ID Systems

The World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative prepared a Primer on Biometrics for ID Systems (Primer) as a reference document for practitioners, civil society organizations, development partners and other stakeholders on the responsible use of biometric recognition in official or government-recognized identification (ID) systems, such as national IDs, civil registration, population registers, and others. Over the past 30 years, countries have increasingly incorporated digital biometric recognition into these ID systems, either as part of identity proofing (de-duplication) and/or to provide verification and authentication to service providers. However, given the specialized and often proprietary nature of most biometric technology, the stakeholders mentioned above have not always had access to information they need to effectively consider the appropriate and responsible use of this technology. The Primer reflects experiences in a range of countries from different regions, with different legal systems, and at different stages of economic development. It also takes into account existing literature, international conventions, and norms and principles. It is based on evolving international good practice, as understood by ID4D.