Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

Ten years ago, countries across Asia and the Pacific united to correct a silent injustice: Millions of people were being born and dying without ever being recorded. The launch of the Asia-Pacific Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Decade marked a bold regional commitment to ensure every birth and death is recorded, and every life counts. 

At its core, the CRVS Decade was about more than data; it was about dignity. It aimed to equip governments with the accurate, timely information to deliver essential services, shape responsive policies and uphold the rights of every person, in every corner of the region.

Today, the region has made undeniable progress. Since 2012, the number of unregistered children under five has fallen by 62 percent, from 135 million to 51 million in 2024. This is an enormous achievement, made possible by strong political commitment, improved systems and regional cooperation. While there is much to celebrate, 51 million unregistered children in Asia and the Pacific are still far too many. 

The Third Ministerial Conference on CRVS in Asia and the Pacific, held from Tuesday to Thursday, is the moment to act. According to an official document, participants of the Conference agreed to extend the CRVS Decade to 2030 to ensure that "all people in the region will benefit from universal and responsive civil registration and vital statistics systems." Doing so will ensure that efforts to improve legal identity and vital statistics systems remain aligned with the broader Sustainable Development Goals. It will also provide countries the time and support they need to finish what they started and to fully close the data gap that still leaves millions of people invisible.

Transforming CRVS systems takes partnership, persistence and innovation. That's why the UN and our partners are committed to working together with governments across the region, helping to build stronger, more inclusive and people-centered CRVS systems.

A birth certificate is more than a document; it's a child's first proof of existence in the eyes of the law. Without it, that child may be shut out of school, denied healthcare and excluded from social protection. They may be unable to prove their nationality or even their age. The consequences are especially severe for the most vulnerable and the effects ripple across generations. When mothers have legal identity, they can secure the same for their children, helping to break deep-rooted cycles of invisibility and exclusion.

We also face a grave challenge on the other side of life. Every year, 6.9 million deaths go unregistered in the region, leaving families without access to inheritance, land rights or pensions. And even among registered deaths, a quarter of countries and territories do not medically certify deaths, meaning we often don't know why people are dying.

This gap in knowledge leaves public health systems in the dark - unable to fully understand, prepare for or respond to health threats. Timely, disaggregated statistics on causes of death are essential for designing and monitoring effective health policies and for detecting emerging crises, including pandemics.

Extending the CRVS Decade to 2030 is a declaration: Everyone counts. Data saves lives. Legal identity is a right, not a privilege. No one should be left behind simply because they were never counted in the first place. Let us finish what we started. Let us get everyone in the picture and ensure every life truly counts.

The author is the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn