ESCAP, in partnership with Vital Strategies, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and key local partners, organized the first country level consultations civil society consultations in the lead up to the Third Ministerial Conference on CRVS in Asia and the Pacific. The consultations were held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on December 3, 2024. These discussions focused on an in depth understanding of CRVS systems with an emphasis on universality, inclusivity, and sustainability.

The United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) provides a valuable resource for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of statistics. Their diverse online courses offer a flexible and accessible way to enhance skills and knowledge relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.

The Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2024 underscores the vital role of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems in enabling safe, orderly, and regular migration across the region. It stresses the importance of accurate and accessible CRVS data to support various migration-related policies and services.

The 7th Border Management and Identity Conference (BMIC) took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 11th to 13th, 2024. The event centered around the theme "The Future of Borders and Borders of the Future: Accelerating Seamless and Secure Cross-Border Travel and Trade with Technological Solutions and Re-engineered Identity Management Processes."

The 7th Border Management and Identity Conference (BMIC) took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 11th to 13th, 2024. The event centered around the theme "The Future of Borders and Borders of the Future: Accelerating Seamless and Secure Cross-Border Travel and Trade with Technological Solutions and Re-engineered Identity Management Processes."

The last 2024 quarterly meeting for the Civil Registration Professionals of South Asia (CR8) took place virtually on 25 November 2024 and offered the opportunity to share updates on key areas of work and discuss preparations in the lead up to the Third Ministerial Conference. Specific themes for experience sharing for Q4 2024 meeting were inequality assessment, waiving fees for birth registration, and CRVS advocacy.

On the sidelines of the 9th Committee on Statistics in Bangkok, countries had a chance to share transformative work and strategies they have been implementing towards strengthening CRVS and UNICEF presented on the new global birth registration estimates. The discussions highlighted innovative measures to increase CRVS coverage and ensure inclusivity, particularly among underserved populations.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, James Marape, has commended Parliament for passing the Civil and Identity Registry Bill, which aims to create a comprehensive registry for births, deaths, marriages, and other vital records. This new law replaces the Civil Registration Act and is expected to significantly enhance the accuracy and efficiency of population data collection.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) just released a report showcasing the latest global update on birth registration. 
The report, titled "The Right Start in Life: Global Levels and Trends in Birth Registration," reveals that while global birth registration rates have increased from 75% in 2019 to 77% today, millions of children still remain unregistered and invisible to government systems. Over 150 million children under five remain unregistered, leaving them vulnerable and excluded from essential services. Approximately 50 million of these live in Asia and the Pacific.