Watch the live stream sessions here
United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will organize a three-day conference on transforming economies in Bangkok, Thailand, on 11-13 September 2019.
The creation of productive jobs for both men and women are essential preconditions for the achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on decent work and gender equality.
Featuring presentations from leading scholars including Richard Baldwin, Seema Jayachandran, Ravi Kanbur, Naila Kabeer and UN ASG Elliott Harris, this WIDER Development Conference provides a forum to discuss innovative, theoretical, and empirical research and its policy take-aways on the challenges for productive job creation in many different country contexts, across all developing regions.
The conference engages current debates around the future of work in the face of rapid labour-saving technological advances, vis-à-vis the changing nature of globalization. It addresses the implications of this on achieving SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and the prospects for structural transformation in low- and middle-income countries.
This year’s conference will also feature a special policy session on Changing technologies and the jobs of tomorrow with Damian Grimshaw, Benno Ndulu, Marty Chen, and Kunal Sen, plus Sharanjiy Layl as the moderator.
Key questions will address SDG 5, gender equality, and SDG 10, inequality, by looking at the persistent barriers to productive and well-paid jobs for women and disadvantaged groups, especially in manufacturing and services.
Featured
Programme

Policy seminar
Changing technologies and the jobs of tomorrowWatch the live stream recording United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will organize a three-day...
Plenary session
The globotics transformation and developmentWatch the live stream recording Digital technology is transforming globalization and robotics (‘globotics’) at a furious pace, and thus changing the opportunities and challenges facing developing and developed economies. This talk argues...
Technology Robotics AutomationPlenary session
Dismantling barriers to women's employment in developing countriesWatch the live stream recording This talk will discuss barriers to women’s participation in the labor force in low-income countries. First, services that free up women’s time to work outside the home, including child care services, are...
Women's economic empowerment Women's work Gender normsAbout
Poster session: Transforming economies – for better jobsThere will be a poster session on each day of the conference from 13:00‐13:45. Up to 16 posters will be presented in the exhibition area on level 2 of the United Nations Convention Center. The posters will be different on each day of the conference...
WIDER Development Conference Poster SessionAbout
Photos: Transforming economies – for better jobsSelection of conference photos. They can also available on Flickr . Think development – Transforming economies conference album slideshow...
WIDER Development Conference