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 economic growth and social development.
In 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which were subsequently endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly (in 1996).
Asia-Pacific countries today adopted a ministerial declaration committing to accelerate action on achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment across the region. Representing a strong and united regional voice, leaders from more than 40 countries committed to reinforcing their efforts to eliminate gender discrimination and inequality, as a matter of human rights and for the development and prosperity of the region.
Factsheet outlining the status of women and girls in areas such as economic participation, decision-making, education and health in Asia and the Pacific.
This year’s Asia-Pacific commemoration of International Women’s Day was dedicated to the theme: ‘Equality for women is progress for all.’
The product of a technical cooperation project implemented by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with the Governments of Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, this publication addresses the economic aspect of gender mainstreaming, with a particular focus on gender budgeting and women’s economic participation.