Highlights

• After several quarters of contraction, export rebound propelled GDP growth in Q1/2024 in some major Asia-Pacific countries. Nevertheless, such a revival is far from being broad-based.

• Despite steady employment conditions, sluggish increases in wages and renewed food price rises are keeping peoples’ purchasing power weak.

• Special topic: Older women disproportionally take up unpaid work, thus hampering their formal job opportunities. Better access to pensions, healthcare and social protection benefits by older women, along with more disaggregated data, are needed to empower women.