Bangkok--5 Aug--UNISBKK
Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), today urged countries to promote women’s economic interests as part of government packages aimed at dealing with the global financial crisis.
Noting that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) bloc is projected to be the locus for global economic growth in 2009, Dr. Heyzer urged its members to seize the opportunity to build not just a new economic infrastructure but also a progressive social one.
“We must make sure that growth is more inclusive and socially equitable,” she said. “This includes ensuring that women have access to opportunities to participate in national economic recovery and that they emerge from this crisis in a better position to participate in our region’s bright economic future.”
Dr. Heyzer’s remarks were delivered in the keynote address on, “Weathering the storm: advancing women's economic opportunities in the current financial climate,” at the 14th APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) meeting.
The gathering is part of a series of events leading up to the annual APEC summit in November, hosted this year by Singapore.
Dr. Heyzer warned of tough times ahead for the region’s poor, in particular women, as countries in Asia and the Pacific seek to restart their economies after suffering jolts to their export markets due to the worldwide financial meltdown.
The good news is that Asia-Pacific has the second highest ratio of employed women of working age in the world at 49 per cent, even constituting the majority of low-skilled workers in labour-intensive manufacturing industries such as textiles and apparels, leather products and electronics, Dr. Heyzer said.
However, women’s entry into the workplace has coincided with trends towards outsourcing and subcontracting, by relegating these jobs to the informal sector without any job security or benefits — risks that have been revealed as the economic crisis unfolds.
Research by ESCAP indicates that restricting women’s access to work, education and health services comes at significant economic costs, totalling between $42 billion and $47 billion each year in losses to countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Dr. Heyzer noted that the huge scale of government spending in the pipeline for many countries offered an unprecedented chance to design development policies that will bring about more inclusive and sustainable development.
Although fiscal stimulus packages containing large infrastructure and public works projects are one of the most effective ways to reach a wide range of unemployed workers without regard to skills, most of these jobs are in construction where 80 to 90 per cent of jobs are held by men, Dr. Heyzer said. But if funding is made available for health, education and agricultural extension services, and investments are made in small- and medium-scale enterprises, employment opportunities would also be created for women.
Over the long term, more emphasis needs to be placed on gender budgeting and tracking as part of the regular budget process, she added. A number of countries in the region have made important progress in this area before the crisis, and efforts are now required to ensure these gains are not lost. Equally important is insisting on strong and effective public expenditure monitoring systems to ensure that budgetary allocations reach the intended groups.
APEC members already had some of the most successful practices of social development and vibrant businesses in the world, Dr. Heyzer noted. “Let us build upon these successes. Releasing the full potential of women is not only good for women it is also smart economics.”
For further queries, please contact:
Mr. Mitchell Hsieh
UN/ESCAP Information Services
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