SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), successfully organized a Technical Workshop on “Marriage and Divorce Registration and Vital Statistics Production in Central Asia” on 18 April 2025 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

The workshop brought together representatives from civil registration authorities, national statistical offices, and ministries of justice from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan, alongside experts and representatives from ESCAP, UNFPA, and UNDP. It served as a practical and forward-looking platform to explore national experiences, share technical insights, and contribute to the development of harmonized guidelines, tools, and business processes for strengthening marriage and divorce registration and vital statistics production across Central Asia.

The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Mr. Onur ÇAĞLAR, Director of Statistics and Information Department of SESRIC, who delivered the message of H.E. Director General of SESRIC. This was followed by an opening introduction by Mr. Romesh SILVA, Technical Specialist at UNFPA, who set the stage by highlighting the critical role of marriage and divorce data in supporting gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development efforts.

Building on the outcomes of the Meeting of Central Asian Civil Registrars, held one day prior at the same venue, the workshop transitioned from strategic dialogue to focused technical discussions. Participants engaged in interactive sessions, including expert presentations, country case studies, and group discussions. Key thematic areas covered included:

• Legal definitions and registration practices of marriage and divorce
• Governance and institutional coordination among national stakeholders
• Integration of CRVS systems with digital and identity management platforms
• Various approaches to ensure inclusiveness in marriage and divorce registration
• Use and quality of vital statistics derived from registration data

The workshop highlighted the importance of accurate, timely, and inclusive marriage and divorce registration as a key dimension of comprehensive CRVS systems. Participants emphasized the need to strengthen institutional frameworks, improve interoperability of national systems, and support evidence-based policymaking by enhancing the quality and use of related statistics.

The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the formulation of a core set of regional recommendations, which will inform the development of standard tools and procedures across Central Asia. These efforts are closely aligned with the Asia-Pacific Regional Action Framework on CRVS, as well as the strategic objectives of the Strategic Vision of the OIC-StatCom for 2030 and Programme of Action for 2021-2025.

SESRIC remains committed to supporting its Member Countries in enhancing statistical systems and promoting inclusive governance through reliable data and South-South cooperation.