News and Events

The project “Promoting Disability-Inclusive Employment and Businesses”, under the initiative “Catalysing Disability-Inclusive Employment and Business towards Effective Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032,” was launched through the collaboration of three partner organizations: the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP), the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD).

An estimated 16 per cent of the global population - around 1.3 billion people - live with some form of significant disability.[1] In Asia and the Pacific, this translates into approximately 750 million persons with disabilities,

ESCAP was pleased to announce the First Session of the Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023-2032, which was held on June 3–4, 2025, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok and online. 

The Regional Forum on Digital Transformation and Future of Work for Persons with Disabilities was held on 2 June 2025 at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, as well as online. The Regional Forum spotlighted the pivotal role of inclusive technologies, digital tools, and skills development in advancing labour market inclusion and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Senator Monthian passed away on the morning of 2 March 2024 at his home in the suburbs of Bangkok. He was 58, just two months short of his 59th birthday.

Senator Monthian was a giant in the struggle for the human rights of persons with disabilities, a fervent advocate for and change maker on disability rights at all levels: international, regional, national and local.

19-21 October 2022, Jakarta & Online

Overview

Overview

Asia and the Pacific is home to more than 700 million persons with disabilities who face significant barriers to full and effective participation in society.

The Asia-Pacific region is the most disaster-prone region in the world. The estimated 690 million persons with disability living in the region are disproportionately affected by disasters and excluded from many aspects of services as well as participation at various stages of disaster risk reduction. The impacts of disasters on populations are expected to grow as urbanization continues at a rapid pace along with unsustainable economic practices.