Asia-Pacific Governments Agree On Registration Matters

By Minggu Simon Lhasa BANGKOK (Thailand), Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Asia-Pacific governments endorsed a regional action framework of goals and nationally-set time-bound targets for civil registration coverage, issuance of legal documentation and production of vital statistics by 2024. They agreed to embark on an ambitious agenda to accelerate and focus efforts to improve civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems at a Ministerial Conference convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) here Friday. The Conference adopted a Ministerial Declaration to 'Get every one in the picture' and proclaimed the 'Asian and Pacific CRVS Decade' for 2015-2024. "The declaration we have forged today affirms our shared vision that, by 2024, we will achieve universal registration of all key life events; provide all people with legal proof of identity; and use these registration records to produce and openly share accurate, complete and timely vital statistics," said Dr Shamshad Akhtar, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary, when speaking at the closing ceremony. Currently 36 countries in the Asia-Pacific region do not possess universal and responsive civil registration and vital statistics systems that meet relevant international standards, said ESCAP. About 135 million children under the age of five have not had their birth registered and without birth registration, a child's access to education, health care and social security may be hampered, it said. Without proper recording of causes of death, governments are unable to respond to the health service needs of the public. The Ministerial declaration outlines the commitment of governments to achieve a shared vision that, by 2024, all people in Asia and the Pacific will benefit from universal and responsive CRVS systems that facilitate the realization of their rights and support good governance, health and development. "The right to be recognized as a person before the law is an inalienable human right," said Nobuko Horibe, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNFPA in her closing remarks on behalf of the co-organisers. She said civil registration captures the events that mark the cycle of life and is an indispensable source of information to formulate effective policies and promote good governance. --BERNAMA