Bangkok – The Regional Data Hub for Asia and the Pacific (RDH) has launched the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2022, which provides most up-to-date research, evidence and expert insight on key migration topics of the Asia–Pacific region.

The virtual launch event, held on 17 August 2023, brought together experts, stakeholders and policymakers to engage in a meaningful dialogue surrounding migration trends, global challenges and the progress made towards the achievement of global goals in the region throughout 2022.

Sarah Arriola, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, initiated the event by giving impactful opening remarks. She acknowledged the multifaceted challenges confronting the region, through her astute observation that, "While some countries in the region face new risks, such as the alarming rise of online scamming for human trafficking and forced labour in South-East Asia, others continue to experience the enduring consequences of conflict and disasters".

Dr. Koko Warner, Director of IOM's Global Data Institute, further emphasized the report's focus on global challenges like climate change in her opening remarks. She noted, “the Migration Data Report 2022 highlights that last year, the Asia–Pacific region experienced a staggering 22.5 million internal displacements caused by weather-related hazards, comprising an overwhelming 70 per cent of all disaster-related displacements worldwide”. Addressing the urgency posed by intensifying weather hazards, she urged immediate collective action and data-driven responses to mitigate challenges faced by regional communities.

The focus then transitioned to the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2022 itself, as the IOM Asia–Pacific RDH team took the lead in unveiling the report’s key highlights. Chandan Nayak, Head of the IOM Asia–Pacific RDH marked the report’s third edition by commemorating its evolution and notable inclusion of insights from migration experts for the first time this year.

Subsequently, the RDH research and analysis team presented the report’s main findings by thematic pillars including migration statistics, policy implications, vulnerabilities, development intersections, and the novel nexus of migration and innovation, offering a comprehensive perspective on the region's dynamic migration landscape.

The event also featured a lineup of distinguished keynote speakers. Dr. Petra Nahmias, Chief of Population and Social Statistics Section at UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), emphasized the critical role of recommendations on official statistics in providing objective and transparent insights into migration patterns, particularly within the context of the 2030 Agenda.

Peppi Kiviniemi-Siddiq, Senior Regional Migrant Protection Specialist at IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the pressing need for robust data collection and evidence-based responses to combat trafficking in persons.

Julia Black, representing the Missing Migrants Project at IOM GMDAC, emphasized the necessity of comprehensive data to inform policies that ensure safe migration within the Asia–Pacific region.

A significant moment during the event was the launch of the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Portal by Chandan Nayak. While introducing the innovative website, he clarified, “This novel tool consolidates key migration indicators from diverse sources into a central data warehouse, streamlining access to comprehensive and reliable migration-related information”.

Dr. Marie McAuliffe, Head of IOM Migration Research & Publications Division and Editor of World Migration Report,  in her closing remarks, commended the Regional Data Hub team for its efforts in launching the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2022 and the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Portal. Emphasizing the need for collaborative endeavors to bridge data gaps in the region, she said, "Strengthening of the evidence base for migration requires concerted efforts – from the policy research to civic spheres, and across the global, regional, national and local levels."

Access the recording of the launch webinar for the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2022 here and the full report in the IOM Publications page here.

The link to the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Portal can also be found here.

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For more information, please contact Chandan Nayak, Head of Asia-Pacific RDH at Tel: +66657261183, Email: cnayak@iom.int or Itayi Viriri, Senior Spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific at Tel: +66659390934, Email: iviriri@iom.int