UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), jointly with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is organizing a three-day regional kick-off workshop on strengthening the measurement of digital trade in services and the production of sex-disaggregated statistics for gender-responsive trade policymaking in Asia and the Pacific. The workshop will launch a DA18-funded project (2026–2029) to equip countries with the data and tools needed to measure digital services trade and design gender-inclusive trade policies. The project focuses on four target countries: Bhutan, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Papua New Guinea, with Kyrgyzstan and Viet Nam identified as potential beneficiary countries.
Workshop Goals and Objectives
- Strengthen participants’ capacity and understanding of the importance of digital trade and gender statistics for evidence-based and inclusive policymaking in trade.
- Introduce international standards and practical tools, including the TiSSTAT system, for measuring digital trade in services
- Identify national priorities, data gaps, and capacity needs in the target countries
- Align stakeholders on project objectives, approach, and next steps
- Foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among national and regional stakeholders
Expected Outcomes
- Participants share a common understanding of the project’s objectives, approach, and next steps
- Capacity is strengthened on digital trade and gender statistics and their use in policymaking
- Countries identify priority sectors, key data gaps, and national needs
- Participants are introduced to international standards, good practices, and the TiSSTAT system
- Next steps, country-specific action plans, and a shared workplan timeline are agreed for the first phase of project implementation.
