News and Events

26 February 2026, Bangkok

13th APFSD Side Event: Putting Disability Inclusion in ESG: A Value Chain Approach

26 February 2026, Thursday, 11:15 – 12:15 (Thailand Standard Time)
Venue: Meeting Room A at United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok
Co-organizers:
ESCAP Social Development Division 
UK Permanent Mission to ESCAP
In collaboration with: 
Agency for Private Enterprise Development and Collective Economy (APEC), Ministry of Finance, Viet Nam
Foreign Trade University Innovation Incubation Space (FIIS), Viet Nam
CareER Association, Hong Kong, China 

09 January 2026, Bangkok

Luanch of the Policy Paper on Promoting Disability-Inclusive Employment by APCD

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).

02 June 2025, Bangkok

2 June 2025 - Regional Forum on Digital Transformation and Future of Work for Persons with Disabilities

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.

27 February 2025, Online

Launch of the e-learning course, ‘Disability Statistics for Tracking Inclusive and Sustainable Development’

Today, ESCAP Social Development Division and Statistics Institute for Asian and the Pacific (SIAP) launches the self-paced e-learning course, ‘Disability Statistics for Tracking Inclusive and Sustainable Development’. The e-learning course was initially launched as a facilitated course in September 2024, attracting statisticians and policy makers in the region. The course was run for five weeks, complemented by a webinar series. During the five weeks, participants delved into basic concepts, methodologies and the latest practices on disability data collection.
03-09 March 2024, Bangkok

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) secretariat mourns the loss of Monthian Buntan, Senator at the Royal Parliament in Thailand, and former Member of the Committee on the Rights 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.