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Press
Release..............................
UNESCAP News Services
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Date 10
May 2004
Press Release No: G/14/2004
Informal sector accounts for 14 to 30 percent
GDP in region
Bangkok (UN Information Services) -- A statistics
workshop organized by the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will look at bringing
the region's informal sector, and other economic activities
which escape measurement, into the mainstream economy.
One of the aims of the meeting is to include data
on the level of income informal sector workers generate, and
the economic production derived from subsistence farming, including
illegal crops, in the GDP figures.
Workers in the informal sector include mobile
stall-holders and street-sellers, as well as employees in illegal
businesses, like sex workers and those involved in the manufacturing
of pirated products.
UNESCAP estimates that the informal sector accounts
for between 14 to 30 per cent of GDP in Asia-Pacific countries
which is currently not being included.
The organization is concerned that an inaccurate
GDP estimate may result in misguided government policies, particularly
in the area of poverty reduction.
The Workshop on Assessing and Improving Statistical Quality:
Measuring the Non-observed Economy is co-organized by the Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asia
Development Bank (ADB).
Over 50 experts from regional and international
statistical groups will look at ways of reducing the size of
the non-observed economy as a whole in the region. The term
"non-observed economy" refers to those economic activities
which should be included in GDP but which for one reason or
another are not covered in the statistical surveys.
The workshop will take place at the UN Conference
Centre in Bangkok from 11- 14 May.
For further information, please contact: United
Nations Information Services, UNESCAP, United Nations Building,
Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Tel: (+662)
288 1864; Fax: (+662) 288 1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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