Social Development

Despite Asia-Pacific’s impressive growth, some 400 million people remain trapped in extreme poverty at $1.90 a day with 1.2 billion people remaining in vulnerable situation ($3.20 a day). Disparities in income and wealth, as well as those related to basic services are persisting and preventing a future of shared prosperity.

When guaranteed through equal opportunity, choice and access to resources, women’s full participation in society and the economy multiplies the capacity of all for sustainable growth and social development. In support of the Beijing Platform for Action, ESCAP is currently focusing its efforts on enhancing women’s economic empowerment in Asia and the Pacific. ESCAP is also championing the integration of gender concerns into national planning and budgetary processes as well as promoting the value of women’s transformative leadership.

Empowering youth in order to harness their potential is key to sustainably manage the demographic transition towards an ageing society that is taking place in the Asia-Pacific region. As a part of its work on youth, ESCAP assists governments to develop comprehensive national youth policies and promotes youth participation in development, including through its interactive Youth Policy Toolbox focusing on school-to-work transitions.

International migration is a structural feature of an interconnected Asia-Pacific region and has profound socioeconomic impacts on the composition of populations, labour forces and societies. Ensuring safe, orderly and regular migration is a key priority of the region in tune with the 2030 Agenda. ESCAP advocates for migrants’ rights and provides technical support to governments to strengthen their capacity to harness the benefits of migration.

Against the backdrop of persisting poverty and widening inequalities, ESCAP supports national and regional efforts by functioning as a knowledge platform for social protection strategies for policymakers and stakeholders, including through its Social Protection Toolbox, and providing technical advice and capacity-building support to strengthen relevant social protection initiatives and their financing.

Accounting for 60 per cent of the world’s population with countries at various stages of the demographic transition and with people at the center of sustainable development, ESCAP focuses on different aspects of the population-related SDGs. It also supports member States in implementing the 1994 Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the 2013 Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development. ESCAP also conducts regular reviews of implementation of these programmes and works with diverse stakeholders to ensure equitable development.

Asia and the Pacific is home to 690 million persons with disabilities, many of whom are marginalized and excluded from leading a fulfilling and productive life. ESCAP assists member States in implementing the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific — the world’s first regionally agreed action plan on disability-inclusive development in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. ESCAP also conducts periodic reviews of the implementation of the Incheon Strategy.

The Asian and Pacific region is experiencing population ageing at an unprecedented pace, with the number of older persons expected to more than double by 2050. ESCAP supports member States in implementing the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) through periodic reviews that aim to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance government capacity to design and implement policy measures that empower older persons, and promote and protect their rights.

As set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which endeavours to “reach the furthest behind first”, protecting and promoting the rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups is fundamental towards realizing an inclusive, prosperous and sustainable Asia-Pacific. In this regard, ESCAP focuses its efforts on women and girls, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons and migrants. In addition, ESCAP also supports its member States in addressing the needs of key populations who are often at higher risk of exposure to HIV and AIDS.