Poverty is the region’s greatest
development challenge. Over 800 million of the world’s 1.2 billion
poor people live in the Asian and Pacific region. Over 500 million
of them are suffering from hunger and disease. The poor lack productive
income, employment and assets and have insufficient access to food,
basic services, infrastructure, information and decision-making opportunities.
The poor need access to health services, clean water, adequate sanitation,
energy, shelter, education and training. They also need access to
markets, transport infrastructure, credit, capital and information
and technology to increase their productivity and income. Furthermore,
access to meaningful decision-making processes provides the poor with
avenues to voice their concerns.
UNESCAP works with governments and civil society to expand the range
of choices that the poor can have to improve their income and quality
of life. In doing so, our emphasis is on strengthening national capacities
to develop and implement effective policies and programmes and on
promoting regional and intersectoral cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Learn
more about our work programme under the theme of poverty reduction
