Bangkok

Established in 1947 with its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. With 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members, the region is home to 4.1 billion people, two thirds of the world’s population.

ESCAP focuses on some of the region’s greatest challenges including: Macroeconomic Policy, Financing for Development, Energy, Transport, Environment and Development and Social Development.

Lead image linking page: UNESCAP

Decent Work for Women: Achieving the 2030 Agenda

Blog of  Theresa Devasahayam, SI UN Representative in Bangkok. As the world emerges out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of building sustainable economies is at the forefront of the agendas of countries worldwide. Soroptimist International had an online presence at the meeting “Accelerating Progress towards Decent Work and Fairer

Climate Action in the Making: Asia Pacific Country Commitments and Challenges

“Climate [action] is a core issue of our survival” (Jeffrey Sachs, 15 May 2023) Soroptimist International was represented by Dr Theresa Devasahayam at the 79th Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP 79) held in Bangkok from the 15th to the 19th May 2023.

Women and the World of Work

Blog by Dr Theresa Devasahayam, SI United Nations Representative, Bangkok. Is the world prepared for the future of work, a world transformed by digitalisation? Are workers going to be able to adapt to digital development, robots and artificial intelligence? Where does this leave women workers? These were the questions raised in

Minding the Workplace Gap with C190

Blog by Dr. Theresa Devasahayam, SI United Nations (UN) Representative, Bangkok. In spite of growing numbers of women engaged in paid employment across the world, the workplace is not a gender equal domain. Violence and sexual harassment continue to be pervasive and gender discrimination is often the norm. These forms

Collaboration, Cooperation and Commitment: Post-Pandemic Recovery Strategies in Asia

The seventy-seventh session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), held from 26 to 29 April 2021, was aimed at discussing the necessary steps countries in Asia and the Pacific should anticipate taking to rebuild their economies in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The

Females on the Frontline: Fighting COVID-19 in Asia

A blog by Dr. Theresa Devasahayam, SI United Nations (UN) Representative, Bangkok. Worldwide, COVID-19 has had an ominous impact on human lives as much as economies. In an effort to curb the spread of the virus and to keep their own populations safe, the pandemic has pushed governments to shut

“FEEDING THE FORGOTTEN”: ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 2 IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

A blog by Dr Theresa Devasahayam, SI UN Representative for Bangkok Food is intrinsic for survival and is a fundamental human right. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 posits that by 2030, it is aimed that hunger and malnutrition will be eradicated. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, this goal may never materialise. While

The SDGs: Where do Southeast Asian Women and Girls Stand?

As the world prepares to review the Sustainable Development Goals at the High-Level Political Forum in New York next month, SI's UN Representative in Bangkok, Theresa Devasahayam, reflects on the findings of the 3rd South-East Asia Forum on Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals held last October at the United

Women and the Environment: Roles, Risks and Rights

Blog by Theresa W. Devasahayam, SI UN Representative for Bangkok. "Each year, the month of March is a crucial time for women’s organisations worldwide as we take stock of the progress women and girls in different parts of the world have made in the last year as well as the

Your Voice at the UN

2020: A New Decade Opens Before Us Blog of Evelyne Para, UN Representative of SI at UNESCO. "A hundred years after the "roaring twenties" that carried a creative euphoria and an almost fanatic belief in the industrial revolution, we are entering the "worrying twenties". On the menu for this new

Closing the Gap – Ensuring inclusiveness and Equality in Bangkok

A report by Helen Yang, Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), Taiwan Region Helen Yang from SIA Taiwan Region was invited by PPSEAWA (Pan-Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association) Thailand to participate in the 75th session of the United Nations ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific) and CoNGO’s

Where are All the Women?

A blog by Theresa W. Devasahayam, SI UN Representative for Bangkok and Past President, Soroptimist International of Singapore (SIS) "According to the Global Gender Gap Report, the world has closed 68 percent of its gender gap.1 The 21st century has seen women making significant headway especially in the areas of

Social Protection for Gender Equality

A blog by Theresa W. Devasahayam, SI UN Representative for Bangkok. "The theme of the sixty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) focuses on social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls. Women’s right

Why is Social Protection so Important for Women?

At the Committee for Social Development Fifth Session held in Bangkok from 28-30 November 2018, the Committee deliberated on strategies for strengthening social protection in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Asia Pacific. Here Dr. Theresa W. Devasahayam, SI UN Representative for Bangkok, Thailand writes

Ending Hunger in the World: Why the Female Factor?

A blog by Dr. Theresa W Devasahayam, SI UN Representative (Bangkok) and Secretary of Soroptimist International of Singapore (SIS) "The last century has seen an explosion in population. A pressing concern is the accessibility to food as more people are added to the world. Since the 1950s, the Green Revolution

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