About ESCAP
Q.1 What is ESCAP?
The word “ESCAP” stands for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for Asia and the Pacific. It has a membership of 62 Governments, 58 of which are in the region and a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south.The secretariat is headed by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer [add hyperlink to ES webpages, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.
The Commission was founded in 1947 in Shanghai as the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) and relocated to Bangkok in 1949. It was renamed as the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in 1974. ECAFE was founded in the wake of a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly recommending the establishment of a regional commission which would contribute to the development of the region by providing member countries with research and advice on economic issues, also making appropriate recommendations.
Q.2 What does ESCAP do?
The founding mandate of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), which is derived from the Economic and Social Council Resolutions 37 (IV) and 414 (XIII), is to promote regional cooperation for economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.
The role of the Commission was subsequently elaborated upon in various resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission itself.
The most recent Commission resolution 64/1 further sharpened the focus of ESCAP’s intergovernmental machinery in order to more effectively address key issues pertaining to inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.
ESCAP support countries in the region by providing them with sound strategic advice, analysis, policy options and technical cooperation to address key development challenges. It also assists the region through its conference structure and convening authority to forge a stronger regional voice on global issues, building capacities to dialogue, negotiate and shape development agendas.
The programme objective of ESCAP is “the promotion of inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, with the overall goal of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Q.3 What are the priority areas of ESCAP?
Through its eight mutually supportive subprogrammes (Macroeconomic Policy and Inclusive Development, Trade and Investment, Transport, Environment and Development, Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction,Social Development, Statistics and Subregional Activities for Development) ESCAP focuses on achieving the following development results:
1. Member Governments have more effective, inclusive and sustainable development policies for addressing development from a multi-disciplinary perspective, to narrow development gaps and build resiliency;
2. Global processes are shaped by a stronger coordinated regional voice and countries are provided with analytical and technical support in implementing international commitments;
3. Regional cooperation mechanisms and institutional frameworks are in place to promote regional integration and inclusive development.
Q.4 Who are the Members of ESCAP?
ESCAP has a number of 62 member States/areas, as listed below in alphabetical order:
Members:
Afghanistan; Armenia; Australia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Fiji; France; Georgia; India; Indonesia; Iran (Islamic Republic of); Japan; Kazakhstan; Kiribati; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Micronesia (Federated States of); Mongolia; Myanmar; Nauru; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Republic of Korea; Russian Federation; Samoa; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka; Tajikistan; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Tonga; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Tuvalu; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; United States of America; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; Viet Nam.
Associate Members:
American Samoa; Cook Islands; French Polynesia; Guam; Hong Kong, China; Macao, China; New Caledonia; Niue; Northern Mariana Islands.
Q.5 What is the Commission?
The Commission is the main legislative organ of ESCAP and reports to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It provides a forum for all ESCAP members and associate members to review and discuss social and economic issues facing their countries and the region as a whole and make decision on ways to most effectively address those issues through regional cooperation.
The Commission meets annually at the ministerial level to discuss and decide on important issues pertaining to inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in the region, to decide on the recommendations of its subsidiary bodies and of the Executive Secretary, to review and endorse the proposed strategic framework and programme of work.
At the Commission all matters are generally decided upon by consensus and its agenda is first discussed in eight committees held on alternating years: Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development ; Committee on Trade and Investment; Committee on Transport; Committee on Environment and Development; Committee on Information and Communications Technology ; Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction;Committee on Social Development; Committee on Statistics.
For more information on the Commission’s work, please visit http://www.unescap.org/about/commission.asp.
About the Social Development Division (SDD) of ESCAP
Q.6 Why is ESCAP working in the area of social development?
Large parts of the population in Asia and the Pacific are still struggling to generate livelihoods that meet their basic needs, being highly vulnerable to various forms of external shock. The lack of income, assets, opportunities and access to social services make these population groups unable to mitigate or cope with an increasing number of economic, social and environmental risks.
The region is home to about 65 per cent of the world’s poor, that is about 950 million persons who live on less than $ 1.25 dollar a day. Women are disproportionately represented among this group and continue to face discrimination and institutionalized, legal and structural barriers to gender equality.
The region is also home to some 400 million of the world’s 650 million persons with disabilities, who are confronted with barriers of access to built environments and services and who are denied their basic rights. With the demographic transition, the number of older persons in the region is estimated to triple, from 415 million at present to 1.3 billion by 2050. This will place enormous strain on Governments in terms of provision of social and health services and other forms of social protection.
There exist gaps in government capacity to develop appropriate policies and programmes for the protection, empowerment and equality of key social groups.
Against this background, ESCAP works to strengthen cooperation in the region in order that member States may build more inclusive societies through social and financial policies and measures that promote social protection and development.
Q.7 What are the priorities of ESCAP in social development?
The strategic direction of ESCAP’ subprogramme in the area of social development derives mainly from commitments agreed upon at relevant United Nations intergovernmental processes. This subprogramme aims to promote change at the policy and institutional levels, in close collaboration with government officials and institutions, particularly those involved in the formulation, implementation and management of social development policies and programmes.
The main target groups of the subprogramme are governmental officials and institutions, particularly those involved in the formulation, implementation and management of social development policies and programmes.
The strategy focuses on the conduct of applied research, analysis and dissemination of results on social policy options, strategies and programmes as a basis for decision-making by Governments.
The Social Development Division (SDD) consists of:
- Office of the Division Chief
- Social Policy and Population section
- Social Integration section
- Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment section
Q.8 Who are the partners of ESCAP in social development?
Recognizing the importance of building strategic partnerships with other development partners to scale up progress, ESCAP partners with numerous government ministries, intergovernmental organizations, other UN agencies and civil society.
(For more details, see our section on Partnership.)
Q.9 What are the upcoming events?
Please visit the events calendar links for updates on events and activities organized by ESCAP in the area of social development.
Q.10 How can I access the latest publications of SDD?
This is the link to the publications page of SDD: http://www.unescap.org/sdd/publications/publications.asp.
Q.11 How can I apply for an internship or for an employment with SDD?
For information on internship opportunities with SDD, please go to this link http://www.unescap.org/jobs/internships/intern_divisions.asp. For jobs opening, please visit: http://www.unescap.org/jobs.
About Development
Q.12 What is inclusive and sustainable development?
Inclusive development is a process that leads towards the goal of building an inclusive society, which values diversity and accepts differences. Socially inclusive development therefore ensures that all marginalized or excluded groups are meaningfully engaged in the development process. Sustainable development is defined as one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Q.13 What is a rights-based approach to development?
A rights-based approach to development is a conceptual framework that integrates the norms, principles, standards and goals of the international human rights system into the plans, policies and processes of development. It is directed to promoting and protecting human rights. The norms and standards are those contained in international treaties and declarations. The principles include equality and equity, accountability, empowerment and participation.
A rights-based approach to development includes express linkage to rights, accountability, empowerment, participation, non-discrimination and attention to vulnerable groups.
Q.14 What are the Millennium Development Goals?
The Millennium Development Goals, commonly known as the MDGs, are eight international development goals and targets that all 192 member States of the United Nations and about 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015.
The eight goals are: (1) halving poverty and hunger, (2) achieving universal primary education, (3) promoting gender equality and empowering women, (4) reducing child mortality, (5) improving maternal health, (6) reducing HIV/AIDs, malaria and other disease, (7) ensuring environmental sustainability, and (8), enhancing international cooperation for development.
The framework enables countries to assess their progress against these goals because they can be measured against national poverty lines with the use of quantitative indicators. The measurements help identify some of the areas that impede the achievement of these goals allowing the United Nations to better coordinate development activities and suggest solutions for their remedy.
Q.15 What is a Least Developed Country (LDC)?
A country is identified as a Least Developed Country (LDC) if it meets the following three criteria; (a) low-income criterion, based on a three-year average estimate of the gross national income (GNI) per capita (under USD905 for inclusion, above USD1,086 for graduation); (b) human capital status criterion, involving a composite Human Assets Index based on several indicators, such as nutrition, health, education and adult literacy; (c) economic vulnerability criterion, involving a composite Economic Vulnerability Index based on indicators of population size, remoteness, merchandise export concentration, share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in gross domestic product, homelessness owing to natural disasters, instability of agricultural production, and instability of exports of goods and services.
For more information, visit http://www.unescap.org/LDCCU/index.asp.
Q.16 What is a Landlocked Developing Country?
A Landlocked Developing Country is one that lacks territorial access to the sea, is remote and isolated from world markets and has to incur high transit costs. Landlocked developing countries are generally among the poorest of the developing countries, with the weakest growth rates, and are typically heavily dependent on a very limited number of commodities for their export earnings.
For more information, visit http://www.unescap.org/LDCCU/index.asp.
Q.17 What is a Small Island Developing State?
Small Island Developing States are a distinct group of developing countries which face specific social, economical and environmental vulnerabilities; they share a number of disadvantages, including small population, a narrow range of resources, susceptibility to natural disasters, excessive dependence on international trade and vulnerability to global developments. In addition, they suffer from lack of economies of scale, high transportation and communication costs, and costly public admistration and infrastructure.
For more information, visit http://www.unescap.org/LDCCU/index.asp.