-Benefits: 1. Human rights & help w/ economic development 2. Vital statistics on births & deaths = reliable data for cause of death, provide crucial info for policy, planning & evaluation in all sectors of development 3. Establish & protect identities, citizenship & property rights 1. Provide access to state services/entitlements, defense against exploitation 4. Official development assistance 1. Policies & programs 2. Tax payers -Risks: 1. Be used to do harm to individuals & vulnerable minorities 2. Governing authorities control movement & liberty of sections of population