The fifth session of the Committee on Social Development focused on social protection and leaving no one behind in the Asia-Pacific region, towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, the objectives of the Committee session were the following:
(a) To consider strategies for leaving no one behind in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
(b) To consider strategies for strengthening social protection in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific;
(c) To consider the future programme focus of the subprogramme on social development.
The Committee identified a number of priority issues for action and requested ESCAP to continue and strengthen its support to member States in implementing the social dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the regional road map for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, in particular in relation to social protection, women’s empowerment, population dynamics and disability inclusion.
The Committee also recommended to strengthen regional cooperation on social protection, and encouraged ESCAP, in coordination with relevant United Nations agencies, to explore and develop a modality for regional cooperation to support member States in this regard.
The Executive Secretary also launched ESCAP’s new flagship publication “Social Outlook for Asia and the Pacific: Poorly Protected” during the session. The report contains four key messages and three recommendations to poverty makers, in order to reach SDG 1 and end poverty in the Asia-Pacific by 2030.
The Committee session was part of the ESCAP Social Development Week, which will be held from 26 to 30 November 2018 at the United Nations Conference Center. The Social Development week also included the Midterm Review of the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development (26-28 November) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Expert Group Meeting on Reviewing Implementation of Commitments from the Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on HIV and AIDS Beyond 2015 (27 November).
Special Events:
28 November 2018: Launch of the report “Social Outlook for Asia and the Pacific: Poorly Protected” and related exhibition. Read the Report
29 November 2018: Side-event “Closing the gaps – social protection and poverty in Asia and the Pacific”, co-organized by ILO and ESCAP
30 November 2019: Workshop “The Right to Social Protection: from Traditional Disability Welfare to Social inclusion”
Delegations Assessment
Following the meeting delegations attended filled out questionnaires regarding the session. A summary of the results is available for download.
