Poverty and Inequality in Southeast Asia



Poverty and Inequality in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals recognizes group based disadvantages from economic development and stresses the need to “Leave no one behind”. In this presentation, I will discuss about who is being left behind and will focus on countries in Southeast Asia. I will also expound on poverty and social protection in those countries and will finish with two case studies about tourism in Laos and Vietnam by linking them with the ideas of ‘creative’ tourism.

Bio of the Speaker

Prof. Sukanda Lewis graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a Ph.D. in economics. She worked at the Asian Development Bank in the field of micro-finance in the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Now, she is the Deputy Director of Research of Institute of Asian Studies at the University of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. Her research interests are development, ethnic minorities, poverty reduction, and ‘creative’ tourism.