ASEAN moves forward on women’s economic empowerment

The ASEAN Forum on Women’s Economic Empowerment was held on 27-28 August 2018 in Singapore.
Jointly organised by the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), the forum was supported by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. It was the first project that promotes and protects the rights of women through economic empowerment.
Representatives from the AICHR, ACWC, Senior Economic Officials and the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network, as well as private sector and civil society representatives from ASEAN Member States shared experiences and exchanged good practices that contribute to the greater economic participation and empowerment of women through all stages of life.
The forum comprised five sessions, namely, Empowering Female Employees at the Workplace; Breaking Barriers and Re-inventing Traditional Businesses; Creating New Businesses in Emerging Industries; Shaping Corporate Culture for Women Leadership Development; and Empowering Women in the Silver Economy.


Forum speakers and participants spoke about the importance for the public, people, and private sectors to take a “life-cycle approach” in policy planning, and work together to create an inclusive ecosystem that will enable and empower women to join the work force, excel at work, and take up leadership positions. They also agreed on the need to encourage women to tap on new technologies and embrace lifelong learning, so that they are equipped and ready to ride on new trends in the marketplace including the fourth industrial revolution.
In view of the rapidly ageing population in the region, and the vulnerability of older women in society, speakers and participants also touched on the importance of equipping and empowering older women with the right tools that will enable them to gain access or return to the marketplace, so that they could be self-reliant, remain active and able to live meaningfully in their sunset years.
Press-release at the ASEAN official web-site