Asia and the Pacific
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Asia and the Pacific
The world’s future will be determined in significant part by what happens in the growing countries of Asia and the Pacific; the sheer scale of population and economic growth will guarantee that the path of the world’s progress will be heavily influenced by developments in this region.
Asia Pacific has seen enormous growth in the last few decades, with the economic development of Japan, South Korea, and then the "Asian tiger" countries and most recently China and India. Despite this growth, however, the region is home to two-thirds of the world's poor. 700 million people in Asia Pacific do not have access to safe drinking water, 600 million people are malnourished, 450 million people live in slums and 1 in 2 do not have access to adequate sanitation.[1]
The Asia-Pacific Conference on Measuring Well-Being and Fostering the Progress of Societies took place at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo on 5-6 December 2011. Its goal was to deepen refl ection on how to measure well-being and progress, enhance the relevance of measures and analysis for addressing key policy issues, and establish concrete outputs, such as regional frameworks for cooperation in the future. It gathered together around 200 policy makers, statisticians, academics, and other stakeholders from 30 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as representatives from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more on this conference, click here.
Measuring Progress Initiatives
Many countries in Asia and the Pacific are already playing a crucial role in the emerging global movement of initiatives to measure progress. For example, Bhutan first proposed the Gross National Happiness index in 1972, and Australia and Canada both have established national well-being or progress indicators.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is looking into hosting the secretariat for the Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies in the Asia Pacific region. Read the report.
During the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCAP) meeting of the Committee on Statistics, First session 4-6 February 2009 Bangkok, delegates spoke positively about the Global Project. They emphasised the need to develop new ways to measure societal progress, covering a variety of dimensions such as sustainable development and social cohesion. Opportunities to strengthen the relationships between the Global Project’s activities and ESCAP and its Committee on Statistics were highlighted. The Committee recommended that the secretariat examine the possibility of serving as the regional focal point in Asia and the Pacific for the Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies. It could also act as a repository of initiatives being taken by member States in this direction.
Read more: Measuring the Progress of Societies: What is the Relevance for Asia and the Pacific?
Studies
A Future Within Reach 2008 is the third in a series of regional reports on the Millennium Development Goals in the Asia-Pacific region. It assesses the prospects of reaching the goals and targets, highlighting the potential gaps and indicating how these can be filled. It also looks at the potential for adding value to national initiatives through broader international partnerships through which the United Nations and other international organizations 'deliver as one'.
Social Services Policies and Family Well-being in the Asian and Pacific Region: Asia-Pacific Population and Social Studies Series No. 165, UNESCAP, (2009) contains a regional overview of changing features of family and existing social protection schemes and services. The report also includes the Regional Framework for Strengthening the Family through Enhanced Social Protection and Social Services Policies, drawn from the deliberations of activities under the project.
Energy Security and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (2009) UNESCAP looks at more efficient uses of energy and alternative energy sources in the region.
L’ Asie et le Pacifique (French)
Il y a un bon nombre d’activités en cours en Asie et dans le Pacifique, ce qui revêt un intérét considérable pour le Projet mondial. Nous discutons de l’établissement d’un groupe de travail régional avec la Commission économique et sociale des Nations-Unies pour l’Asie et le Pacifique.
Rapports sur le développement humain (RDH)
La liste des RDH de l’Asie et du Pacifique se trouve jointe en format MsExcel.
Past Events
The OECD, in collaboration with the University of Kyoto, organised an international conference on “Measuring and Fostering the Progress of Societies: Key Issues for the Asia and Pacific regions” which was held in Kyoto, Japan on March 23-24, 2009 at Katsura Campus of Kyoto University.
Human Development Reports
Asian Human Development Reports
References
See also
External Links
- UNESCAP - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
- Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific
- Asian Development Bank
- ASEAN - Association of South East Asian Nations
- APEC - Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
Further Reading
Asian Perspectives on qualitative growth, July 2010, Sourav Roy, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
