ESCAP News/Press Releases

Korea-ESCAP partnership to promote low carbon green growth

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:36:00 GMT

A partnership to implement a $200 million fund to support Asian developing countries to pursue a low-carbon development path was discussed at high-level meetings in Seoul during a visit by Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.

UN Supports Asia's Efforts to End Child Labour through Better Data Collection

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:18:00 GMT

Attempts to eradicate child labour in Asia and the Pacific received a boost last week, following the completion of a training course on child labour data collection for government statisticians from the region.

UN and Korea team up to improve access to technology for people with disabilities

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:04:00 GMT

The regional arm of the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific has teamed up with the government of the Republic of Korea to improve access to information and communication technology (ICT) for persons with disabilities by offering training to policy-makers from developing countries in the region.

UN marks World Habitat Day with launch of "Quick Guides" on urban housing

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:57:00 GMT

The Asia-Pacific arm of the United Nations and the UN agency dealing with housing are launching a free on-line "Quick Guides" to help policy-makers deal with the key issues of housing urban poor in the region.

ESCAP partners with China to help Asia and the Pacific to reduce disaster risk

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:55:00 GMT

The regional arm of the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific is teaming up with China to create a disaster risk reduction framework that could help save lives and reduce the damage caused by disasters in the future. The cooperative framework was outlined today by UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Noeleen Heyzer, during her visit to the earthquake ravaged Sichuan province of China

UN High-level Meeting Explores Links Between Migration and Asia-Pacific's Socio-Economic Development

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:11:00 GMT

With the number of international migrants in Asia having increased nearly twofold since 1960 ? growing from an estimated 28 million in 1960 to more than 53 million in 2005 ? and with Asia and the Pacific accounting for a third of the world's 190 million migrants, more needs to be done to better understand the impact of the phenomenon on the region's socio-economic development. This is the aim of the Asia-Pacific High-level Meeting on International Migration and Development, which opened today in Bangkok.

United Nations Partners With Bangkok Students to Mark International Day of Peace

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:26:00 GMT

More than 200 students in Bangkok today explored the role of human rights in achieving peace at a youth forum held by the United Nations to raise awareness of the upcoming International Day of Peace.

UN Helps Strengthen Mongolia and Pacific Islands? Information and Communication Technology Capabilities

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:50:00 GMT

Two new agreements with UN are expected to help improve the ability of policymakers and government leaders to better leverage information and communication technology (ICT) for social and economic development in Mongolia and Pacific Island states. The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology (UN-APCICT) signed Wednesday separate agreements with Mongolia?s Information and Communication Technology Authority and the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission, which will see both organizations customize an APCICT training curriculum, the Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders.

UN MDG report says world on track to halve poverty thanks to Asia

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:54:00 GMT

The world is on track to halve the global poverty rate by 2015 and achieve the number one target of the MDGs, thanks to progress made in East Asia, particularly China, says the United Nations' latest MDG report. Without China's contribution, the world would fail to meet the poverty reduction goal.

UN MDG Report 2008 will be launched in Bangkok on 10 September by Noeleen Heyzer

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The United Nations will publish The Millennium Development Goals Report 2008, the most current global assessment on progress towards the MDGs, on Thursday, 11 September, with the Secretary-General launching this report in New York. The Asia-Pacific regional launch will take place in Bangkok on Wednesday, 10 September, at 13:30 at the Foreign Correspondents? Club of Thailand. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, will present the report.

United Nations Strengthens ICT Capacity of Government Leaders in the Pacific

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:37:00 GMT

Knowledge and familiarity with information and communication technology (ICT) in the Pacific is receiving a boost with the holding of a key UN training programme for some of the region?s policy-makers and government officials. The UN-APCICT, in collaboration with Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), is holding a four-day workshop on ICT on the Cook Islands from 2 to 5 September, 2008.

Afghanistan's Digital Divide Set to Narrow Following Collaboration Agreement with UN-APCICT

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:29:00 GMT

An agreement promoting the use of information and communication technology, signed today by the Afghan Government and the United Nations, is expected to contribute greatly to Afghanistan's efforts to bridge the digital divide ? the gap between those who benefit from digital technology and those who do not

Region's governments urged to push through tough anti-child sex measures

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:17:00 GMT

Despite some progress in recent years in addressing the problem of sexual abuse of children in East Asia and the Pacific, much more needs to be done to address the issue of child exploitation. That was one of the key messages heard at the "East Asia Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents" ? a two-day meeting held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok to feed recommendations to an upcoming world summit on the issue.

Press Conference by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Cancelled

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:41:00 GMT

The press conference that had been planned for Wednesday, 13 August, by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tom?s Ojea Quintana, has been cancelled due a scheduling conflict. Our apologies for any inconvenience caused. A notification will be issued should it be possible to re-schedule the conference.

Address Power Relations to Achieve Development Goals, say Leading Gender Experts

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:11:00 GMT

Advances in policies and legislations at the macro-level do not necessarily bring about progress for women. Their implementation are frequently obstructed by entrenched structures, values and power relations at the meso- and micro-level, shaping local policies, communities and cultural beliefs and women?s daily lives. This is the level where empowerment must occur if progress for women is to be achieved. That was one of the key messages heard at a forum entitled, "Where's the Power in Women's Empowerment?" organized by the UN ESCAP.

ESCAP Joined Ban Ki-moon's Cool UN Initiative to Cut Emissions at Bangkok UN Compound

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:38:00 GMT

Thermostats turned up and dress code relaxed to save energy
The main United Nations premises in Bangkok joined the New York Headquarters today to turn up thermostats by 2?C in an effort to reduce the use of air conditioning and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Most staff members came to work wearing lighter clothing, including national dress.

UN ESCAP Forum to Explore Women's Empowerment

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:48:00 GMT

As part of a seminar series, UN ESCAP is holding a forum entitled "Where's the Power in Women?s Empowerment?" at which leading experts from the Research Programme Consortium on Women?s Empowerment in Muslim Contexts will share their views and analyses.

Regional Mission to Reinforce Disability Policy in the Federated States of Micronesia

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:44:00 GMT

The rights of persons with disabilities in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) will be the focus of a first-of-its-kind joint mission by the United Nations and the Pacific Disability Forum. The aim of the mission to Pohnpei is to build substantial support for the implementation of the FSM?s national policy on disability ? which UN ESCAP helped local authorities draft in 2006.

Press launch of World Economic and Social Survey 2008, 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, 1 July, FCCT, Bangkok

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:52:00 GMT

The United Nations will hold a press briefing at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, in Bangkok, on 1 July, 2008, for the launch of the World Economic and Social Survey 2008, published by the United Nations Department of Eeconomic and Social Affairs. This year's Survey considers means for overcoming economic insecurity, and it also assesses insecurity posed by weather, natural disasters and climate change.

Transcription of UN media briefing on humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, 18 June, Bangkok

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:25:00 GMT

The United Nations system in Bangkok gave a media briefing to update on the humanitarian assistance provided in response to Cyclone Nargis on Wednesday, 18 June, at the Foreign Correspondents? Club of Thailand (FCCT).