Bangkok – The Regional Data Hub for Asia and the Pacific launched the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2021 which outlines insights into migration trends, recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and progress towards global goals in 2021. The report was virtually launched on 24 August 2022 as a side-event to ESCAP’s 8th Session of Committee on Statistics.

Stuart Simpson, Deputy Regional Director of the IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, opened the event, commenting that “pandemic-related border closures and movement restrictions decreased, they remained an important feature across the region, affecting migrants’ paths, ease of travel and way of life”.

He noted that in 2021, the pandemic had important implications on all aspects of life and migration, but it was far from the only disrupting event in Asia and the Pacific.

Further speakers elaborated on steps taken towards recovery from the pandemic in 2021 in addition to other aspects of migration. In a keynote address, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, noted that “migrants found ways to rebuild their lives in the midst of uncertainty and in doing so contributed to recovery from the pandemic as well as regional development more broadly.”

Rachael Beaven, Director of Statistics Division at ESCAP, developed that understanding further by noting the importance of data collection to implement most appropriate policies to promote safe, orderly and regular migration.

The discussion turned to the Regional Data Hub team to delve further into the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2021 as an important example of the informative analysis of disparate data sources in the region.

The team shared a comprehensive analysis on six thematic pillars used by the Regional Data Hub, covering migration statistics; migration policy; significant types of migration; migration and vulnerabilities; migration and development; and finally new analysis in the form migration’s links to innovation.

Dr. Pablo Rojas Coppari, the Senior Research Officer from the Migration Research Unit at IOM, closed the event with comments on key lessons learnt. He noted that “closing data gaps through current methods and innovative technologies will help to fulfil not only the Global Compact but also other global goals, such as the SDGs and the Migration Governance Indicators. Despite any gaps, knowledge can be gained by investigating currently available data, which this report has done.”

Please find the recording of the launch webinar for the Asia–Pacific Migration Data Report 2021 here and the full report on IOM Publications here. 

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