ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

UN Entity Layer: 
Functional Commissions

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 a membership of 62 Governments, ESCAP is the most comprehensive of the United Nations five regional commissions. It is also the largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region with over 600 staff.

A regional advisory group was set up in 2010 by the United Nations Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism. The Group provides strategic advice and support to the UN on the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in the Asia-Pacific region. In its work, the Group also gives prominence to women’s human rights and gender equality, and takes into account the vital link between conflict and economic and social development processes. Only two countries in Asia-Pacific, namely the Philippines and Nepal, have developed national action plans on women, peace and security, as called for in resolution 1325.

Work on Gender Equality 

ESCAP provides a intergovernmental platform for Governments and other stakeholders in the region to discuss and reach agreement on gender policies, programmes and mechanisms to implement the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Millennium Development Goals.  Their priorities with regard to gender issues are:

  • Promoting women’s leadership and role in decision-making.
  • Strengthening the capacity of national women’s machineries to effectively advocate for women’s rights and interests.
  • Strengthening regional capacity to combat violence against women.
  • Promoting gender mainstreaming within ESCAP and among member States.

Source: ESCAP

Contact Information

For more information, please visit the official ESCAP website.