Over the past decade, national governments have made significant progress in implementing institutional and legal reforms, enhanced business processes, capacity-building initiatives, and digital transformation to strengthen CRVS systems across Asia and the Pacific. A critical enabler of this progress has been the Regional Action Framework, which provided eight implementation steps that members and associate members of ESCAP have increasingly completed. Key drivers of success include proactive, context-specific strategies, strong political will, and the mobilization of financial and technical resources.
A crucial component of CRVS system improvement is the establishment of a national coordination mechanism. By 2024, 34 countries and territories had set up such a mechanism, facilitating multisectoral collaboration, particularly between civil registration authorities, health ministries, and national statistical offices. However, challenges persist: 13 members and associate members have yet to implement such mechanisms, and another 15 have not reported their status. Even in countries with functional systems, formal coordination structures are often missing, highlighting an area for further development.
Regional collaboration has also played a pivotal role. Platforms such as the Regional Steering Group for CRVS in Asia and the Pacific and the Asian and Pacific CRVS Partnership have enabled knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and strategic coordination. Subregional networks—including the Pacific Civil Registrars Network (PCRN), Civil Registration Professionals of South Asia (CR8) and South-East Asia Civil Registration Professionals Network—have supported tailored, peer-to-peer learning and solutions for shared challenges within their sub-regions.
Comprehensive, standards-based assessments are another important tool for strengthening CRVS. These evaluations assess legal frameworks, business processes, registration completeness and coverage, and data quality. Since 2014, 26 members and associate members have conducted such assessments, six are planning to do so, while 14 have yet to initiate any, and 16 have not reported. These tools, including the earlier ones developed by WHO and University of Queensland School of Public Health, have been essential in identifying gaps and guiding reforms.
Inequality assessment is an important implementation step; however, progress on assessing inequalities within CRVS systems remains limited. Only 10 members and associate members of ESCAP have completed inequality assessments, five are planning to conduct the assessment while 32 have yet to initiate one. These assessments are essential to ensure coverage for marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples, migrants, and stateless persons.
Equally crucial is the development of multisectoral national CRVS strategies. A comprehensive strategy includes a work plan, budget, stakeholder roles, and alignment with regional and global goals. By 2024, only 16 members and associate members had developed such strategies, with seven planning to do so. Similarly, monitoring and reporting frameworks are lacking—only 11 countries and territories have established such systems, despite their importance for evaluating progress and guiding interventions. Seven intend to develop the framework, 29 remain without one, and 15 did not provide information.
In conclusion, while significant strides have been made in CRVS reform, major gaps remain, especially in inequality assessments, monitoring systems, and national strategies. Continued technical support, strengthened coordination, and sustained political will are essential to realize the goal of universal and responsive CRVS systems in the region.