Least Developed Countries In Asia Research Articles

Human Rights in the Least Developed Countries of Asia: An Index for Quantifying Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing).

This paper aims to measure disparities among the variables associated with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 defined by the United Nations (UN) in the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia. In the terms of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, LDCs are countries with profound economic and social inequalities. The indicator was constructed using a set of variables associated with SDG3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Applying Pena’s DP2 distance method to the most recent data available (2018) enables regional ordering of Asia’s LDCs based on the values of these variables. The index integrates socioeconomic variables that permit examination of the impact of each individual indicator to determine territorial disparities in terms of the partial indicators of SDG3. “Maternal education,” “Proportion of women who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care,” and “Gender parity index in primary education” are the most important variables in explaining spatial disparities in good health and wellbeing in the LDCs of Asia.

Gender Equality and Economic Growth in Asia and Africa: Empirical Analysis of Developing and Least Developed Countries

In recent years, politicians, theorists and academics have debated the impact of gender inequality on economic growth. Some studies show a negative relationship between the two variables, while other studies show a positive relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of gender inequality on economic growth in developing and least developed countries in Asia and Africa. To evaluate the impact of gender equality on economic growth, I use panel vector autoregression analysis for data from 2010 to 2018. Next, the Arellano-Bond model was applied to provide a consistent estimation to support the previous model results. The results indicate a negative and significant relationship between the Gender Inequality Index and economic growth. Finally, through its results, this research aims to be a resource for stakeholders and policymakers to use in decisions regarding the promotion of gender equality and increases in social well-being in Asia and Africa.

Resource-efficient and renewable energy transition in the five least developed countries of Asia: a post-COVID-19 assessment

The economic fallout from COVID-19 resulted in an economic slowdown and a contraction in economic output, changed economic structures, and reduced financial inflows in the five least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, and Nepal. This policy brief discusses these impacts in light of the LDC-graduation procedures of the United Nations together with the challenges that these countries face meeting their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13). The economic slowdown in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Myanmar and a contraction in economic output in Cambodia and Nepal has increased poverty in the five LDCs and is putting pressure on biomass resources in the rural areas of these countries. The change in the structures of their economies, which threatens to reverse processes of economic modernization in these LDCs, is undermining two decades of progress regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the associated reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in financial inflows such as remittances, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance (ODA) is also a risk to both short- and long-term prospects of further investment in renewable energy generation and low GHG-emissions technologies. This policy brief suggests policies that target technical interventions and incentivize small-scale renewable energy technologies that are less susceptible to microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts from external shocks such as COVID-19.

Does the Recent Global Business Growth Exhibit an Inclusive Growth? a Research on Socio-Economic Status of Least Developed Nations in Asia

While the global business growth trend is upward, it is essential to ensure that if it is an inclusive growth that every nation is benefited and growing. Asia is the earth's largest continent. It covers 48 countries. This article focuses on the socio-economic status of the nine least developed countries in Asia to validate whether the global economic growth is inclusive. It examines how Socio-economic status fosters or hinders the development of these countries. Regression analysis is used for analyzing the Gross National Income, Foreign direct investment.

Econometric analysis of financial cointegration of least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia and the Pacific

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to econometrically investigate the level of financial co-integration of the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia and Pacific region. In addition, the paper also tested the co-integration of LDCs with the world’s second largest economy “China.” For this, the paper employed the foreign exchange data sets of respective LDCs. It also aimed to assess the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) between the foreign exchange rates of LDCs and China, and further, examined the past and current level of their co-relational dependence. Design/methodology/approach – The authors created data sets namely LDCs of Asia and Pacific, LDCs of SAARC, LDCs of ASEAN, LDCs of Pacific, LDCs of SAARC and ASEAN, LDCs of ASEAN and Pacific, and LDCs of SAARC and Pacific. In addition, the authors tested the co-integration of these seven groups with China, and thus, making a total of 14 data sets. The analysis was carried out using the Johansen and Gregory-Hansen multivariate co-integration econometric techniques. To assess the DCC, multivariate DCC GARCH model was employed. Findings – It was found that at the intra-regional level, exchange rates of LDCs of SAARC, ASEAN and Pacific were co-integrated and showed the existence of 1-3 co-integrating equations. At inter-regional level SAARC-ASEAN, ASEAN-Pacific and SAARC-Pacific were also co-integrated and showed 1-3 co-integrated equations. However, on the inclusion of China in the study, the degree of co-integration of exchange rate of China with LDCs of SAARC and ASEAN increased, while with Pacific, the result was mixed. Conditional correlation estimated of multivariate DCC GARCH model suggested that except for Afghanistan, there was an upward shift in the correlation dynamics of exchange rates of LDCs with China, post global financial crisis. Practical implications – Asia and Pacific region constituted of 53 countries, of which 13 were LDCs. Enhanced financial integration among LDCs of Asia-Pacific region and also between LDCs and major economies of the region like China will strengthen economic and financial integration efforts in the region. Originality/value – The present paper attempted a comparative assessment of the co-movements of the foreign exchange markets of LDCs, the countries which have remained largely neglected in academic discourses on financial integration.

An index for quantifying female education and child health in emerging economies.

To construct an index to measure female education and child health in the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia. The design of our index includes the variables of female education and child health defined in the goals of the Millennium Declaration. For this purpose, we used Pena's P2 distance method for 2011, the last year for which data were available for the set of variables. We have proposed a territorial measure and classification of female education and child health in the LDCs of Asia. We believe that the most striking differences between countries relate to basic female education variables such as girls' primary completion rate, and female literacy.

An Assessment Of Millennium Development Goal (Mdg) 3 In Least Developed Countries Of Asia

The aim of this paper is to measure progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3 to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in Least Developed Countries (LDC) of Asia. We study a group of countries which suffer particularly from poverty, or in the terminology of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), countries with profound economic and social inequalities, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Maldives, Nepal, Timor-Leste and Yemen. To achieve this goal, we use the DP2 distance method to compose a synthetic indicator of MDG 3 for 2011, the last year for which data are available. The index comprises information on different MDG 3 indicators that enables classifying the LDCs of Asia, as well as examining the impact of each individual indicator to determine territorial disparities in MDG 3 levels.

An index of maternal and child health in the least developed countries of Asia

In this article, we propose a new index to measure maternal and child health in the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia. This new index is applied to a group of countries particularly affected by poverty, which, in the terminology of the United Nations’ Conference on Trade and Development, are the poorest of the poor. Our index has been designed by including the variables defined in the Goals of the Millennium Declaration. For this purpose, we used the P2 distance method for 2008, the last year for which data were available. This index integrates variables of maternal and child health that allow territorial ordering of the LDCs in terms of these partial indicators. This analysis is particularly useful in a scenario such as the LDCs of Asia, which are beset by profound social and economic inequalities.

History of Insurance, Market Development and Regulation in Seven Least Developed Countries in Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal

This paper examines the history of market development and regulation in the insurance markets of seven Least Developed Countries in Asia. Historical analysis shows that most of the markets were first developed to service expatriates and the interests of expatriates then operating in those countries but disappeared or were nationalized soon after their independence as a sovereign state. All countries have adopted or are in the process of adopting market-oriented economic policies and insurance business has begun to re-emerge. Findings from the investigation of insurance regulation and supervision show that all governments apparently apply principle of national treatment in the markets, but the application is not perfect as they commonly not only impose no statistically justified rules but also apply politics-oriented guidelines and unclear capital, investment and accounting regulations on licensed companies. The reinsurance markets are either undeveloped or are subject to compulsory cession to government insurer or its designee. They also lack clear exit (insolvency) regulation and policyholder protection guidelines.

Recommendations of the ICID task force for least developed countries in Asia

AbstractThe least developed countries (LDCs) in Asia, as well as those in sub‐Saharan Africa, have not succeeded in improving their standards of living; and the number of poor in the LDCs has not yet shrunk due to economic stagnation and inapt policies amidst the ever‐increasing population.In order to help ameliorate such problems, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has an important role, which it is expected to play, in assisting the LDCs with irrigation and drainage with respect to technologies, institutions, etc., by all of its capabilities, including encouraging non‐ICID‐member LDCs to affiliate with ICID, with the intention of increasing and stabilizing the production of agriculture, the foundation for the economic development of LDCs and the economic sector in which most of the labour force of LDCs currently engage.The ICID Task Force for LDCs in Asia recommends, as the priority issues for LDCs to cope with, the promotion of participatory management of irrigation and drainage, the development of small, affordable and sustainable infrastructure, setting up substantive legal systems and laying the foundation of financial support, technology transfer and dissemination on irrigation and drainage skills to the farmer organizations, and the conservation and appropriate allocation of water resources. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.