‘Women’s economic inclusion, empowerment critical to development’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Asia-Pacific region is at a crucial juncture of transformation.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (Apec) Women and the Economy Forum (WEF) said in a statement amid a fastchanging global landscape, gender equality and women’s economic inclusion and empowerment were critical.

In a statement yesterday, the WEF highlighted the importance of enhancing women’s economic inclusion and empowerment in today’s world.

“The Digital Age is having an unprecedented impact on the nature of work in general and women’s economic inclusion and empowerment in particular.

“Inclusive and sustainable growth around the world is the overarching vision of the 2030 development agenda. Gender equality and women’s economic inclusion and empowerment are central to this vision,” it read.

WEF said it was focused on “enhancing women’s economic inclusion and empowerment in the changing world” with three priorities — promoting gender equality for sustainable, innovative and inclusive economic growth; enhancing the competitiveness and innovation of women-owned micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises and narrowing gender gaps in human resources development.

The statement was made following the four-day forum held in Hue, Vietnam, which was attended by Apec ministers and the Vietnam delegation, chaired by Vietnam’s Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Minister Ngoc Dungz.

They were joined by the Apec Business Advisory Council, private sector leaders and representatives from international and non-governmental organisations.

The participants sought for Apec leaders’ consideration to include in their 2017 Declaration a statement on the importance of further advancing women’s economic inclusion to tap into their full potential contribution towards a sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth.

The statement is expected to be handed over to Apec leaders at their meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam, next month.