Gender Assessment of Selected E-business and Strategies in Asia: The Case Studies of Malaysia, The Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Thailand

In light of the growing digital divide, there is a critical need to ensure that women have equitable access to the benefits and opportunities made possible by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and to leverage ICTs for women's empowerment and the promotion of gender equality. Gender-sensitive ICT policies must be applied to e-business given the rapid integration of ICTs into the business environment. This paper presents a study on gender and e-business in Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Thailand. It offers a comparative gender analysis of their level of infrastructure development and ICT penetration, their level of recognition of gender issues in general and in relation to ICT in particular, and their level of readiness and capacity for e-business development. The study concludes with recommendations for developing a gender-responsive e-business environment.

Gender and HIV/AIDS in the Asia and Pacific Region

Women in International Trade and Migration: Examining the Globalized Provision of Care Services

The discussion paper covers international trade and migration policy along with initiative efforts to intergrate a gender perspective to find underestimated opportunities and risks of internatioal care services. This publicaion is an output of collaboration between UNESCAP's Trade Policy Section and Gender and Development Section with a substantial contribution made by Dr. Marian Fe B. Durano from the International Gender and Trade Network Asia.

Elimination of Violence against Women in Partnership with Men, 2003

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that addressing the role of men is crucial is changing unequal power relations, working toward gender equality, and eliminating violence against women. In particular, involving men in movements to end violence against women, focusing on men’s roles and responsibilities, and on men as part of the solution to combat violence against women has gained increased attention in the last several years. The two papers in this publication and the inventory were prepared for presentations at the “Sub-regional Training Workshop on Elimination of Violence Against Women in Partnership with Men” in December 2003 in New Delhi.

Regional Overview of Social Protection of Informal Workers in Asia: Insecurities, Instruments and Institutional Arrangements, 2003

This publication presents a framework for social protection for informal workers in the South, East, and South-East Asian regions. The first section looks at some recent social protection frameworks proposed by prominent international agencies. The second section is a brief discussion on a framework for social protection taking into consideration the needs of informal workers. In the context of this proposed framework, the third and final section reviews existing social protection policies and instruments in the region. Examples are drawn from various countries in the region.

Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and the Millennium Development Goals: Promoting Women’s Capabilities and Participation, 2003

This publication is based on a keynote presentation by Professor Naila Kabeer, from the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex to the first session of UNESCAP’s Committee on Emerging Social Issues, Bangkok, 4 September 2003. The author discusses why gender analysis is relevant to all aspects of economic and the social development and more specifically to the core MDG of halving world poverty by 2015. Ms. Kabeer highlights a number of considerations that need to be explicitly integrated into gender-aware analyses and approaches to achieving the MDGs.

Creating business opportunities for women through ICT, 2001

The economic empowerment of women has been recognized as a central tenet for improving the status and welfare of women. This paper suggests that with new developments in information communication technologies, e-commerce, career and business opportunities in the information technology field, women in the Asian Pacific region should be able to take advantages of new opportunities and have access to careers at all levels of the IT sector for better economically sustainable livelihoods.

Modalities, measures and strategies to meet the challenges of gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century in the Asian and Pacific region, 2001

This document presents a proposal for a regional framework, modalities, strategies and measures to implement the Beijing Platform for Action in the Asian and Pacific region. The document places special emphasis on the fact that the framework for implementation must be based on a human rights framework, and it requires cooperation between governments, civil society organizations, as well as the corporate sector and donor agencies.

This document presents a profile of poor women in the Philippines based on secondary sources of information, reviews some recent studies on poor women in the Philippines, and presents a statistical profile of women living in poverty in the country based on a nation-wide survey conducted by the National Statistics Office.

Women in Poverty in Malaysia: A Review of Extant Studies, Policies and Programmes and Survey Report, 2000

This extensive study examines the situation of women in poverty in Malaysia and linkages between policy and programming. The paper suggests that in Malaysia, there has been increasing recognition of the important roles and contributions of women in national development and family welfare. However, efforts to improve their standard of living and integrate them into mainstream development have been hampered by, among other things, their lack of access to resources, lack of policy and programming measures that recognize gender-specificities, a targeting of male recipients in poverty alleviation programmes and a feminization of ageing that exacerbates women’s disadvantaged situations. The paper forwards several policy and programming considerations.

Empowerment of Women in Poverty, 2000

This document reports on a Regional Seminar on the Empowerment of Women in Poverty, organized by UNESCAP in collaboration with Grameen Bank from 7 to 9 July 1999 in Dhaka. The Seminar concluded with the adoption of a Regional Plan of Action for the Alleviation of the Feminization of Poverty, which emphasized that the empowerment of women in poverty constituted one of the main objectives of all development efforts and recognized that the rights of women in poverty were fundamental human rights.

Women and Violence, Human Rights and Armed Conflict, 2000

This paper reflects upon legal changes and actions taken to tackle violence against women, the strengthening of the human rights of women, and women and armed conflict within the UNESCAP region since the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing.

Utilizing Business Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in Asia and the Pacific, 2000

Fostering the participation of women entrepreneurs strengthens the economy and can be a source of political, economic and social innovation. Women business owners, as compared to their male counterparts, often have a different vision of organization and management style, company structure, community service and the use of technology, which can work to positively contribute to and diversify economies. This paper examines the participation of women in entrepreneurship including women-owned small and medium sized enterprises and uses a case study from the Republic of Korea.

Gender and Sustainable Development: Issues and Strategies, 1999

This paper analyzes various issues and strategies with regards to gender aspects of sustainable development, including the impact of agricultural degradation on women, gender and poverty alleviation, women’s unvalued labour, control and ownership of land and other resources, gender roles and technology development, and women and agro-enterprises. Policy changes are suggested, and recommendations for incorporating gender consideration into sustainable agricultural development strategies are included in the document.

Women in Small Business in Indochina: Issues and key approaches, 1999

The economic empowerment of women has long been recognized as a central tenet for improving the status and welfare of women. In Indochina, women have become increasingly involved in starting their own businesses in order to gain economic advancement within the context of their countries’ economic reform. This paper is based on a report prepared by a team of consultants who observed the situation surrounding women in businesses from aspects of business management, legal environment, financial constraints and cultural and social structure.

Violence against women in South Asia: Subregional overview, Violence against women in Bangladesh, 1999

This document is a compilation of an overview of violence against women in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It includes a description of domestic violence and other violence in the community and workplaces, and reports major interventions and recommended future courses of action to end violence against women in the South Asian region.

Migration of Women in the Context of Globalization in the Asian and Pacific region, 1999

This paper provides a review of the changing status of women in the Asian and Pacific region in the context of migration brought about through the extension of global influences in the region. Certain areas are identified for urgent attention, particularly those where the trafficking of women and the intensification of abuse may result owing to the current economic crisis in Asia. It ends with a consideration of policy intervention in the region arguing that, for policies to be effective, they will need to be specifically tailored to local dynamics.

Impact of globalization on women:women and economic liberalization in the Asian and Pacific region, 1999

This paper examines recent macro-economic changes in terms of their effects on women in the Asian and Pacific region. The paper focuses on the processes typically associated with globalization and economic liberalization, which involve greater trade dependence and greater capital mobility etc. The paper also highlights the observed effects on female employment, unemployment, general material conditions, and other social effects, especially in some of the countries that have experienced the most rapid economic changes over the past decade.