Important developments in container transportation by railway have taken place in many parts of the world, which show there is growing acceptance that railways have an important role to play in the national and international movement of goods. In recognition of the advantages of rail transport and growing demand for freight movement, many Governments have taken initiatives to promote container transportation by their railways.
This publication contains the Seminar Outcome and discussion papers prepared by experts of the Regional Seminar on Strengthening the Capacity of National Machineries for Gender Equality to Shape Migration Policies and Protect Migrant Women, held from 22-24 November 2006 in Bangkok.
It addresses the diverse experiences of female migrants in the ESCAP region, including the situations of migrant domestic workers, female international marriage migrants, migrants working in the garment industry and in disguised sex work.
Facilitation of international trade and transport involves many government agencies and authorities as well as public and private entities. Efficient and effective coordination among all relevant government agencies and authorities, and good collaboration between the public and private sectors are crucial for the formulation and implementation of facilitation measures.
The Review of Developments in Transport in Asia and the Pacific is a biennial publication of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This year the Review is published in two complementary books: (a) Special issue on emerging issues and the Busan Ministerial Conference; and (b) Data and trends. This is the book on data and trends and provides updates for the transport-related data that has been published in the Review since 1993.
The Review of Developments in Transport in Asia and the Pacific is a biennial publication of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This Special Issue of the Review reports on the outcomes of the ESCAP Ministerial Conference on Transport which was held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 6-11 November 2006.
The travel and transport needs of women are different from those of men and women face different constraints. As such, access to transport technologies and services is gendered. However, traditional transport planning and policy interventions and project designs often fail to recognize the gender difference in travel and transport needs. The economic and social benefits of improving women`s access to travel and transport could be very high.
The Asia-Pacific Development Journal (APDJ) is published twice a year by the Macroeconomic Policy and Development Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The primary objective of the APDJ is to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience, ideas, information and data on all aspects of economic and social development issues and concerns facing the region and to stimulate policy debate and assist in the formulation of policy.
Developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region grew at 7.9% in 2006, up from 7.6% in 2005. The continuing buoyancy of external demand remained a source of growth for many countries. Exports of electronics continued to be a key source of growth, while oil and gas exports remained strong in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the oil and gas exporters of North and Central Asia, and South-East Asia. Domestic demand drove gross domestic product (GDP) growth in South and South-West Asia, particularly on the back of high investments.
Road transport is the most important mode of freight transportation in terms of transportation output in almost all countries in the world, in particular in Asia and the Pacific region. For many years, the dimensions of road vehicles for freight transport have remained fixed, although road infrastructure in many countries has improved considerably and technical progress in vehicles has made them safer, quieter and more powerful.
This report on progress towards the MDGs in Asia and the Pacific has two parts. Part 1 assesses whether countries are on or off track for the various indicators. Part 2 examines disparities within countries. Overall, much of the news is good. Asia and the Pacific is one of the world's most dynamic regions, and has been forging ahead on many of the MDGs.
