SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), organized the Meeting of Central Asian Civil Registrars from 15 to 17 April 2025 at its Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

The meeting brought together civil registration authorities, national statistical offices and experts from Central Asian countries—including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—as well as Türkiye alongside representatives of ESCAP, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF, Vital Strategies, and other international and national institutions. The event served as a dedicated platform for exchanging national experiences, addressing common challenges, and exploring collaborative opportunities to strengthen civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems across the region.

Civil registration forms the foundation for inclusive governance, data-driven policymaking, and equitable service delivery. Despite notable progress, countries in Central Asia continue to face a range of challenges, including disparities in registration coverage, quality and completeness of cause-of-death data, and the need for better integration between civil registration and management systems.

The meeting commenced with opening remarks from Mr. Yekta NOYAN, Head of Department, Directorate General for International Economic Policies and Institutions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye; Mr. Onur ÇAĞLAR, Director of Statistics and Information Department, delivering the message of Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK; Dr. Babatunde A. AHONSI, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye; Ms. Mariam KHAN, UNFPA Representative in Türkiye; Dr. Chloe HARVEY, Associate Statistician, ESCAP; and Mr. Filippo CARUSO, Chief Technical Advisor, UNDP Tajikistan.

Throughout the three-day meeting, participants engaged in thematic sessions and interactive formats—including technical panels, world cafés, and a site visit—focused on the digitization of CRVS systems, improving registration completeness and equity, and enhancing institutional collaboration. Special attention was given to country-led innovations and the use of administrative data in CRVS governance and service delivery.

The meeting also laid the groundwork for the establishment of a Central Asian Civil Registrars Network, envisioned as a collaborative regional mechanism to facilitate sustained peer learning, joint problem-solving, and capacity building across national registration systems. The proposed network draws inspiration from existing successful models such as the Pacific Civil Registrars Network and CR8 in South Asia.

This initiative complements SESRIC’s ongoing efforts under the OIC-2025 Programme of Action, as well as the Strategic Vision of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom) for 2030 and its Programme of Action for 2021–2025, aimed at advancing statistical development, cooperation and institutional capacity across OIC countries. SESRIC remains committed to advancing inclusive CRVS systems and fostering knowledge exchange across its Member States through impactful partnerships and regional cooperation.