UNESCAP Full Form: Formation, Objective, Work, etc.

UNESCAP Full Form: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s five regional commissions. It was founded to boost economic activity in Asia and the Far East and strengthen economic ties between the region and the rest of the world. Throughout this article, you will get information about the UNESCAP, such as its history, area of work, scope, publication, function etc.

UNESCAP Overview

Before starting the complete information about IDA, let’s look at the short overview.

UNESCAP	United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Headquarters	Bangkok, Thailand
Formation	28 March 1947
Executive Secretary	Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
Parent Organization	United Nations Economic and Social Council
Website	www.unescap.org
Member	53 Member States and 9 Associate members

What is UNESCAP

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of five regional commissions under the United Nations Economic and Social Council jurisdiction. It was established to increase economic activity in Asia and the Far East and promote economic ties between the region and other regions.

The Commission has 53 member states and nine associate members, mainly from the Asia and Pacific. In addition to countries in Asia and the Pacific, members of the Commission include France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Read also:

WOCCU Full Form	UNECE Full Form
UNDRR Full Form	IFPRI Full Form
ICRISAT Full Form	ICARDA Full Form

History

The Commission was first established by the Economic and Social Council on 28 March 1947 as the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) to aid in post-war economic reconstruction. Its primary mandate was to “initiate and participate in measures to facilitate concrete action for Asia and the Far East”.

On 1 August 1974, it was renamed the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) by the Economic and Social Council to reflect the Commission’s work and its geographic location.

Area of Work

Investment and User Engagement
Skills Development
Quality Assurance and Trust in Statistics
Statistical Business Process Modernization
Integrated Statistics and Analysis

Scope

The Commission works to address some of the most critical challenges facing the region through result-oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to Member States in the following areas:

Macroeconomic policy and development
Trade and investment
Transport
Social development
Environment and sustainable development
Information and communications technology and disaster risk reduction
Statistics
Sub-regional activities for development
Energy

Additionally, the Commission provides its member states a platform to promote regional cooperation and collective action to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNESCAP’s commitment to promoting gender equality and empowerment.

Recognition of equality between men and women is crucial for sustainable development.
Addressing root causes of gender inequality: discrimination, violence, lack of access to education and healthcare.
Collaboration with member countries to identify and rectify these issues.
The Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.
Bringing together stakeholders from the region to discuss and plan initiatives.
Held multiple times since 1999.
A platform for raising awareness and advocating for women and girls’ rights.

Addressing Earthquake Risks

Key natural disasters include earthquakes, typhoons, and flooding.
Initiatives aim to help member countries prepare for and respond to disasters effectively.
Around every two years, the Asia-Pacific hazard Report gives an overall picture of the region’s hazard risk.
Strategies for risk reduction are identified in the report.
The report serves as a platform for discussions and actions on disaster resilience and risk reduction.

Publications

Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report
Asia-Pacific Development Journal
Asia-Pacific Disaster Report
Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report
Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific
Review of Development in Transport in Asia and the Pacific
SDG Progress Assessment Reports / Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific

Read also:

ICTR Full Form	ICTY Full Form
IMF Full Form	UNICEF Full Form
ILO Full Form	WHO Full Form

Member States

The countries listed below have all full members of the commission:

Afghanistan	Papua New Guinea
Armenia	Philippines
Australia	Republic of Korea
Azerbaijan	Russian Federation
Bangladesh	Samoa
Bhutan	Singapore
Brunei Darussalam	Solomon Islands
Cambodia	Sri Lanka
China	Tajikistan
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Thailand
Fiji	Timor-Leste
France	Tonga
Georgia	Turkey
India	Turkmenistan
Indonesia	Tuvalu
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Japan	United States of America
Kazakhstan	Uzbekistan
Kiribati	Vanuatu
Kyrgyzstan	Viet Nam
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	Micronesia (Federated States of)
Malaysia	Mongolia
Maldives	Myanmar
Marshall Islands	Nauru
New Zealand	Nepal
Pakistan	Netherlands
Palau

Source: Wikipedia

Conclusion

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is one of the most important groups working to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the area. UNESCAP is very important for tackling important issues like economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and crisis resilience. It does this through its long past, diverse membership, and wide range of work areas. UNESCAP continues to be a leader in cooperation and progress, working for a better and more resilient future for everyone in the Asia-Pacific area. Its goals include supporting gender equality and women’s rights, as well as lowering the risks of natural disasters.