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What’s
Ahead @ ESCAP |
December
2005 |
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Executive
Secretary to review region’s economic performance in new publication
UNESCAP is set to launch “Key Economic Developments and Prospects
in the Asia-Pacific Region,” a new annual publication designed
to review the region’s
economic performance in 2005 and provide prospects for 2006-2007.
This year-end statement of the Executive Secretary will be launched
by Mr. Kim Hak-Su
at a press conference to be held on 14 December at the UN
Conference Centre in Bangkok. Produced by UNESCAP’s
Poverty and Development Division, the publication will provide
an overview of the most important economic issues that faced the region
in the current year. |
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Development of sustainable tourism focus of high-level intergovernmental
meeting in Bali
Now recognized as one of the world’s largest industries with
an enormous potential for further growth, tourism has assumed considerable
socio-economic importance in many parts of the world. In developing
countries its role is particularly significant due to few alternative
development opportunities. Tourism can contribute to the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals, especially those relating to
poverty reduction, environmental conservation and creation of employment
opportunities for women, indigenous communities and young people.
Against this backdrop, UNESCAP’s
Transport and Tourism Division will convene the High-Level
Intergovernmental Meeting on Sustainable Tourism Development
in Bali from 7-9 December to review achievements under the Plan
of Action for Sustainable Tourism Development (1999-2005),
and consider a second phase of the Plan (2006-2012). Various tourism
development issues with a special focus on enhancing its role in socio-economic
development are also on the agenda. |
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Special panel discussion aims to dispel disability stereotypes in the
media
“Persons
with Disabilities in Media: towards Dispelling Stereotypes”
will be the subject of a special panel discussion organized by
UNESCAP’s
Disability Programme on 2 December to observe the 2005
International Day of Disabled Persons. Representatives from
the disability and media communities and the UNESCAP Secretariat will
focus on the role that various media play in portraying persons with
disabilities. Organizers expect that it will provide an insight into
the issue as well as practical solutions to dispel media stereotypes
about persons with disabilities. |
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 Gender
mainstreaming in development programs focus of meeting in Jakarta
Gender
mainstreaming has already been adopted as the main strategy
to ensure the integration of gender concerns in the development process.
To help identify cooperative ways and means to address emerging issues
from a gender perspective, and enhance partnerships between Government
and NGOs in addressing the issues, Indonesia’s Ministry for
Women Empowerment in collaboration with UNESCAP’s
Gender and Development Section, Emerging Social Issues Division
will organize ‘A Workshop on Enhancing Gender Mainstreaming
Within ESCAP Member Countries’ Development Program’ from
12-14 December in Jakarta. The Minister of Women Empowerment of the
Republic of Indonesia will open the meeting. |
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 Human
Rights Day 2005 to spotlight rights of vulnerable groups in emergencies |
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| UNESCAP,
PARIS21 will co-organize South Asian workshop on strategic statistical
planning
Good
statistics provide a basis for good decision-making and governance,
and help governments to identify the best courses of action in addressing
complex problems. In an effort to promote capacity development in
national statistics for effective policy making, UNESCAP’s
Statistics Division and the Partnership
in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21)
will co-organize a series of subregional workshops on National Strategies
for the Development of Statistics. The first one will be held in Colombo,
Sri Lanka, from 13-15 December. It aims to assess the current status
of strategic statistical planning in the subregion’s,
identify successes and constraints in implementing existing plans,
and consider solutions to those constraints and practical next steps.
The Colombo workshop is part of an Asia-wide project funded by UNDP
which will include three other upcoming subregional workshops: one
each for South-East Asia, Central Asia, and East/North-East Asia. |
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 WMO,
UNESCAP to improve meteorological and hydrological forecasting
Among
natural disasters, floods pose the greatest threat to social and economic
development in the UNESCAP region. To help improve the capacity of
meteorological and hydrological services to jointly deliver timely
and more accurate products and services required in flood forecasting
and warning, the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) in collaboration with UNESCAP’s
Environment and Sustainable Development Division, will organized
a Regional Expert Meeting on Improved Meteorological and Hydrological
Forecasting from 6-9 December in Bangkok. The meeting is being
organized as part of the worldwide WMO Flood Initiative. Approximately
20 experts are expected to attend the 4-day meeting. |
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Special
Observances and Meetings |
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The views expressed in this
publication do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies
of the United Nations. The information contained herein may be freely
reproduced. What’s Ahead at ESCAP is published monthly
by the United Nations Information Services Bangkok. Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861-66
• Fax: +(66-2) 288-1052 • E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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