Women's poverty linked to regional gender disparity

Women face persistent inequalities in Asia and the Pacific region

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services) -- Government Ministers from 61 countries and territories attending the 58th Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific will be told of persistent social and economic inequality between the men and women of the UN/ESCAP region.

"There is a gender disparity in the distribution of opportunities for participation in social and economic life", according to a report to be delivered at this year's Commission Session, to be held 16-22 May 2002, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

"The relationship between women and men, in most countries in this region, is characterized by inequalities," the report says. "Women tend to fare poorly in relative terms compared with men, even at the household level."

"A critical issue related to women's poverty is the many forms of violence against women including the trafficking of women and girls," the report states. The number is "conservatively estimated" between 200,000 and 225,000, annually. This figure represents nearly one-third of the global trafficking trade.

Countries in the UN/ESCAP region "need stronger legal frameworks and laws to combat human trafficking", the report says.

On a more positive note, the report states that gender disparity in primary and secondary education in the region "has been significantly reduced in most of the sub-regions", although a number of countries "will have to intensify their efforts" in order to meet the Millennium Development targets.

Recent studies confirm a growing number of "female heads of household", the report states, adding that "a stronger focus is needed" on various social rights issues, including "issues of land reform and titling to enable women to claim legal entitlements"

NOTE TO EDITORS: Tomorrow, Wednesday, 15th May, is the"International Day of Families".

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