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Speaking at the panel discussion on the theme "Delivering Effective Public Services", Professor Sen shared his experiences in engaging trade unions in Bangladesh to improve absenteeism amongst primary school teachers and to deliver quality primary education.



A contingent of trade union activists from the Global Unions attended the ADB's 46th Annual Governors meeting in New Delhi. Pensions Towards Socially Responsible Investments was the theme of the CSO panel discussion organized by trade unions at the 46th ADB Annual Governors Meeting in New Delhi .



Professor Sen defined development as an "expansion of human freedom". He said that economic growth is needed to generate more income for the population but questioned the proportion of income spent on public welfare. Sen also said that public services need to target priorities that will expand human capabilities, such schemes have paid off rich dividends in Japan and Korea.







Newly-elected ADB President Takehiko Nakao in his introductory remarks to the panel discussion said that citizen empowerment will be a strategic focus of ADB's activities in the future.



According to Nakao, ADB aims to achieve inclusive growth by empowering and listening to the voice of citizens.



Empowerment is means and ends and it is the sole objective of development. Right diagnosis of the problem is half of the solution and engaging trade unions and cashing on their experiences and partnering with them works said Prof Sen.