Details
Mission and objectives
The ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific - formerly known as ESCAP Pacific Operations Centre (EPOC) - was established in 1984 in Port Vila by combining the Pacific Liaison Office's operations based in Nauru and the United Nations Development Advisory Team based in Fiji. The office was relocated to Suva in 2005 to enable more effective collaboration with regional partners.
The Office’s guiding mission is to support Pacific island developing countries in their efforts to attain the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and implement the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A. Pathway).
The ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific covers Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, as well as American Samoa, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue and the Northern Mariana Islands as associate members.
Priority concerns of Pacific countries are brought to the Commission's attention through The Special Body on Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Pacific Island Developing Countries. Issues considered at recent Special Body sessions include employment, sustainable development, urban management and tourism.
It focuses on the following priority areas, as mandated by the ESCAP Commission:
National Planning and Policy Coherence
2030 Agenda and SAMOA Pathway
Social Inclusion and Equality
Climate Action and Resources Management
Data and Statistics
The Office’s guiding mission is to support Pacific island developing countries in their efforts to attain the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and implement the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A. Pathway).
The ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific covers Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, as well as American Samoa, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue and the Northern Mariana Islands as associate members.
Priority concerns of Pacific countries are brought to the Commission's attention through The Special Body on Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Pacific Island Developing Countries. Issues considered at recent Special Body sessions include employment, sustainable development, urban management and tourism.
It focuses on the following priority areas, as mandated by the ESCAP Commission:
National Planning and Policy Coherence
2030 Agenda and SAMOA Pathway
Social Inclusion and Equality
Climate Action and Resources Management
Data and Statistics
Context
The assignment supports research on sustainable tourism taxation through a gender-responsive lens, aligned with the forthcoming Gender Tourism Action Plan (expected June, developed by the Pacific Tourism Organization with Asian Development Bank support). The Economic Research Associate will support the study on how tourism taxes and related fiscal policies affect women and marginalized groups, guided by three core questions:
(1) Who bears the costs?
(2) Who benefits from revenues?
(3) Whose voices shape decisions?
The work will identify key gender blind spots, including compliance burdens on small enterprises, unequal access to tax-funded benefits, and lack of sex-disaggregated data. Drawing on emerging literature, it will highlight that tax incidence is not gender-neutral, administrative practices shape outcomes and impacts depend on the broader fiscal system. The assignment will also integrate gender-responsive spending and inclusive revenue governance, including community benefit-sharing, participatory decision-making and a gender policy checklist to support equitable tourism finance.
(1) Who bears the costs?
(2) Who benefits from revenues?
(3) Whose voices shape decisions?
The work will identify key gender blind spots, including compliance burdens on small enterprises, unequal access to tax-funded benefits, and lack of sex-disaggregated data. Drawing on emerging literature, it will highlight that tax incidence is not gender-neutral, administrative practices shape outcomes and impacts depend on the broader fiscal system. The assignment will also integrate gender-responsive spending and inclusive revenue governance, including community benefit-sharing, participatory decision-making and a gender policy checklist to support equitable tourism finance.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Deputy-Head Subregional Office in the Pacific, the Economic Research Associate will undertake the following tasks (as discussed in detail above):
1. Research and Knowledge Management
• Conduct desk-based research on sustainable tourism taxation through a gender lens, including literature reviews and policy analysis, and prepare a well-substantiated analytical report.
• Apply a gender-responsive framework to assess tourism fiscal policies, guided by the questions: who bears the costs, who benefits from revenues, and whose voices are reflected in decision-making.
• Identify key gender blind spots, including compliance burdens on small enterprises, unequal access to tax-funded benefits, and gaps in sex-disaggregated data.
• Compile, organize, and maintain relevant background documents, datasets, and research materials to support report development and knowledge sharing.
• Support engagement with Ministries of Finance and other relevant government agencies to obtain information and data on gender-linked aspects of tourism taxation, including tax structures, exemptions and incentives, revenue allocation, compliance burdens, and the availability of sex-disaggregated data, to inform the gender-responsive analysis of tourism fiscal policies.
2. Programme Support
• Support the development of policy recommendations integrating gender-responsive public spending and inclusive revenue governance, including community benefit-sharing approaches.
• Assist in tracking activities, timelines, and deliverables related to the report and inputs to the Gender Tourism Action Plan.
• Contribute to drafting reports, briefs, and a gender policy checklist for tourism taxation.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
• Present key findings to UNESCAP and regional partners, including the Pacific Tourism Organisation, facilitating discussion and feedback to refine the report.
4. Communications and Visibility
• Help prepare content for newsletters, social media, and web updates to promote visibility of the report.
1. Research and Knowledge Management
• Conduct desk-based research on sustainable tourism taxation through a gender lens, including literature reviews and policy analysis, and prepare a well-substantiated analytical report.
• Apply a gender-responsive framework to assess tourism fiscal policies, guided by the questions: who bears the costs, who benefits from revenues, and whose voices are reflected in decision-making.
• Identify key gender blind spots, including compliance burdens on small enterprises, unequal access to tax-funded benefits, and gaps in sex-disaggregated data.
• Compile, organize, and maintain relevant background documents, datasets, and research materials to support report development and knowledge sharing.
• Support engagement with Ministries of Finance and other relevant government agencies to obtain information and data on gender-linked aspects of tourism taxation, including tax structures, exemptions and incentives, revenue allocation, compliance burdens, and the availability of sex-disaggregated data, to inform the gender-responsive analysis of tourism fiscal policies.
2. Programme Support
• Support the development of policy recommendations integrating gender-responsive public spending and inclusive revenue governance, including community benefit-sharing approaches.
• Assist in tracking activities, timelines, and deliverables related to the report and inputs to the Gender Tourism Action Plan.
• Contribute to drafting reports, briefs, and a gender policy checklist for tourism taxation.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
• Present key findings to UNESCAP and regional partners, including the Pacific Tourism Organisation, facilitating discussion and feedback to refine the report.
4. Communications and Visibility
• Help prepare content for newsletters, social media, and web updates to promote visibility of the report.
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