Inclusivity
Women
Comprising over half the population in ASEAN, women's empowerment is necessary to realizing the region's full economic, innovative, and communal possibilities.
Unlocking this potential, however, requires embedding gender-responsive policies across the whole region's economic initiatives while giving more opportunities for leadership, entrepreneurship, and trade.
To fulfill this commitment, ASEAN-BAC Philippines launched its Women's Initiative, embedding gender considerations across ASEAN-BAC's economic agenda.
The endeavor strengthens women's economic participation through Round Table Discussions, 'Trabaho at Negosyo,' and Trade Fairs.
The project also promotes women's leadership through the activation of the ASEAN-BAC Businesswomen Working Group across all 11 ASEAN Member States by bringing together ministers, CEOs, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to amplify regional voices while supporting women-led enterprises and linking regional trade policy with grassroots community resilience.
Strategic Objectives
Strategic objectives to strengthen women's economic empowerment include:
Earning a Leaders' Declaration with updated policy recommendations addressing looming and age-old challenges, including AI, unpaid care work, ageism, and the urban-rural divide
Strengthening women's leadership in the digital and innovation economy, exerting direct public policy influence
Ensuring the viability of Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) initiatives beyond the Philippine ASEAN Chairmanship
