Empowering Women in Asia and the Pacific: A Call to Action

Empowering Women: A Call to Action for Asia and the Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region is a vibrant tapestry of cultures, economies, and aspirations. Despite impressive strides forward, significant challenges remain in achieving gender equality, making this the defining issue of our time. We stand at a pivotal point, both as a region and globally, to leverage progress, championing inclusive and sustainable development.

Distinguished colleagues, our regional successes are undeniable. Thailand, our gracious host, stands as a leading force with 24% of CEOs being women, vying with global leaders like France.

Thirteen countries in this region, along with ASEAN at a regional level, have National Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security, promoting peace, security, and well-being. This commitment lays a solid foundation for fostering peaceful and prosperous societies.

Yet, these achievements stand in stark contrast to the realities faced by millions of women and girls daily.

The global landscape is fraught with setbacks for achieving gender equality. We are racing against time to ensure equality becomes a lived reality for all women and girls. A well-organized and well-funded resistance to women’s rights gains momentum, threatening progress and thwarting the goals set forth in the SDG commitments.

Let’s acknowledge the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It pushed an estimated 47 million into extreme poverty, with women and girls disproportionately bearing the brunt. The pandemic deepened existing gender gaps and exacerbated vulnerabilities.

By 2030, South Asia will face a striking disparity of 129 poor women for every 100 poor men, a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of poverty and gender inequity.

Women across the Asia-Pacific region confront barriers to economic empowerment. In fact, three out of five employed women are engaged in informal workgrounds, leaving them without essential protections.

In 12 out of 20 countries in the region, women make up less than 40% of the STEM workforce, limiting their participation in high-growth industries.

The weight of unpaid care work disproportionately burdens women across the region, restricting their entry into the formal workforce.

We are acutely aware that environmental changes pose the single greatest threat to the security and well-being of Pacific island nations. Continued inequalities in women and girls’ access to resources and opportunity put them at even greater risk.

Addressing violence against women and girls remains a pressing global challenge.

Across the Asia-Pacific, one in four women experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner, highlighting the urgency needed to prioritize women’s safety. Many face hurdles accessing essential services like shelter, healthcare, and legal protection.

Yet, amidst the challenges, hope shines through. Across the region, countries have shown remarkable leadership, proving that the principles of the Beijing Platform for Action remain pertinent today.

Six Bodies of Action for a Better Future

As we embark on a year of impact review and recommitment to fulfill Beijing+30 commitments, UN Women is dedicated to working with Member States and partners to advance impactful, high-return strategies at the country level, informed by reports submitted globally.

Building on the momentum of these advancements, we have identified six crucial action areas:

• Accelerating Parity and Equal Decision-Making: Increasing women’s meaningful participation in political processes and decision-making at all levels.
• Empowering Women Economically: Embedding gender-responsive considerations in
  economic development approaches and transitions to green economies.
• Investing in Comprehensive Care Systems: Addressing the unpaid

* How does the progress made in women’s leadership in countries like Thailand encourage further advancements⁢ in gender equality across the Asia-Pacific region?

⁣ ## ​Empowering Women: A Call to Action in Asia & Pacific

**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re ⁢diving ‌deep into the multifaceted topic of gender equality in the Asia-Pacific region. Joining us‍ is [**Alex Reed Name**], a leading‌ expert on gender ‍issues and​ sustainable development.

[**Alex Reed Name**], thank you for joining us.

**Alex Reed:** Thank you for having me. This is a crucial conversation, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss it.

**Host:** Let’s start with the positives. ⁢ The Asia-Pacific region has seen some impressive successes in promoting gender equality.⁢ Thailand, for instance, boasts a remarkable 24% of women‌ CEOs, rivaling global ‍leaders like​ France. How do you see such successes shaping the region’s future?

**Alex Reed:** ⁢These are encouraging developments Indeed! They demonstrate the potential for progress and the impact of robust policies that support ⁣women’s leadership. Thailand serves as a powerful example for other nations in the⁢ region. And⁢ the fact that 13 countries have National Action ⁢Plans on Women, Peace, and Security indicates a strong regional commitment to​ inclusivity⁢ and​ sustainable peace. [[1](https://www.asiapacificgender.org/reports/charting-new-paths-gender-equality-and-empowerment-asia-pacific-regional-report-beijing30)]

**Host:** Absolutely! But, as you know, these⁢ successes ⁢don’t ‍overshadow the significant challenges that remain.

**Alex Reed:** ‌Exactly. While we celebrate achievements,⁣ we must be equally aware ​of the persistent inequalities that millions of women and girls face. The⁢ impacts of ‍the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, ‍disproportionately affected women, pushing millions further into poverty.​ This widening gap is a stark reminder that ⁤progress is not guaranteed and⁣ requires unwavering commitment.

**Host:** You mentioned the pandemic’s impact. What are some of the other ​key hurdles that need addressing?

**Alex Reed:** Several key ‍issues are intertwined here. We see‌ limited access to education and economic opportunities for‍ women, hindering their ability‌ to fully participate‌ in ⁣society. The prevalence of​ informal work, leaving them unprotected, and the unequal burden of unpaid⁣ care work all contribute to the systemic inequalities we see. ⁣Then there’s the growing resistance to women’s rights globally, posing a real‌ threat to the progress we’ve made.

**Host:** That’s worrying. So, what needs to happen now?⁤ What’s⁣ the call to action for this region?

**Alex Reed:**

We need a multi-pronged approach. Strengthening⁢ legal frameworks that protect women’s rights, investing in education and economic opportunities, promoting‍ women’s leadership in all ⁤sectors, ⁤and tackling the root causes of gender-based violence are crucial.

But most importantly, we need collaborative efforts from governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and individuals to champion gender equality.

**Host:** Thank you, ⁣ [**Alex Reed Name**], for sharing your expertise and insights. This conversation highlights the urgency of this issue and the⁤ genuine need for collective ⁤action. To⁣ our viewers, ⁢I encourage you ⁣to learn more about ​the groundbreaking work being done by organizations like ‍the ⁤Asia-Pacific Portal for Gender Equality and join the movement for a more equitable future.