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Photo credit: Good Return Story

In emerging economies across Asia and the Pacific, women - especially in rural areas - are not able to access finance. This is rooted in gender discriminatory norms and practices which lead women to…

Photo credit: UN Photo/Kibae Park Blog

Have you ever tried to register a birth, a death or maybe your own marriage? Unfortunately, many of these vital events in Asia and the Pacific remain unregistered often with dire consequences for…

Photo credit: Nasa Earth Observatory Blog

On 12/13 November 1970, the world’s deadliest tropical cyclone ‘Bhola’ killed more than 300,000 people in Bangladesh. The hard lesson learnt from ‘Bhola’ was not having an effective cyclone warning…

Photo credit: UNICEF Philippines/JMaitem Blog

In a coastal community in Tacloban City in Leyte, Philippines, Maria's life was intricately woven with the ebb and flow of the sea. Her days were filled with caring for her two young children and…

Photo credit: Unsplash/John Schnobrich Blog

The potential of e-commerce to drive inclusive development has been debated for decades. As far back as 2002, then-United Nations Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan, in the publication titled E-Commerce…

Photo credit: iStock Photo/Ridofranz Op-ed

Asia and the Pacific is an economic powerhouse, fuelled by its vibrant and diverse population. Comprising 60 per cent of the world’s population, this region is bursting with both a wealth of…

Photo Credit: Good Return Story

Women's businesses, particularly women's agricultural businesses, are often seen as too risky for investment. This is compounded by the fact that many women lack collateral such as land ownership,…

Photo credit: Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) Story

Rural women across Asia play a key role producing, processing, and trading agricultural products, and are often the primary users and managers of natural resources. Despite this, discriminatory…

Photo credit: UNFPA Timor-Leste Blog

The clarion call of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to leave no one behind, and to reach those furthest behind first.

And while we have been making significant strides, we are yet…

Photo credit: Pexels/Fauxels Blog

In a world increasingly driven by information, the role of ‘data’ and ‘statistics’ is guiding decisions, including on population and sustainable development. In Asia and the Pacific, home to 60 per…