Latest news with #PPWE
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
From Care To Change: Why Women's Empowerment Is Everyone's Business
Press Release – APEC Caregiving is not a private burden; its economic infrastructure. And valuing it is key to building a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous future. APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy When we talk about the care economy, we often use statistics. We cite the data, we build dashboards, we call for reform. But for me, this isn't just a policy issue—it's personal. Just days before our Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) meeting in Jeju, I became the guardian of a child I will soon adopt. I wasn't able to be with my fellow delegates in person because I was doing what millions of women around the world do every day: caregiving. This moment in my life has brought clarity. It has deepened my conviction that caregiving must no longer be treated as a private burden, it is a share societal responsibility. It is economic infrastructure. And it is time for our institutions, governments and businesses to step up. Across the Asia-Pacific region, women shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities, often at the cost of their own economic potential. According to APEC's Women and the Economy Dashboard, only 18 economies have domestic care policies, and just 17 percent provide universal access to affordable childcare. Postnatal leave in many economies remains insufficient. This has to change. The care economy is not a women's issue, it is an economic imperative. It is about ensuring everyone, regardless of gender, can contribute fully to the economy and live a life of dignity. Investing in care means investing in productivity, in equality, in growth. And yes, it means investing in our future. That's why this year, under Korea's host year priorities of 'Connect, Innovate, Prosper', we are tackling the care economy head-on, alongside three other critical areas: Women's leadership in global value chains Resilient and inclusive economies Women in science, health, AI and environmental sustainability We cannot talk about the future of our economies without including our youth, particularly young women. They are not the leaders of tomorrow; they are already leading today. They are building startups, driving innovation, and reshaping their communities. Yet, in our region, young women aged 15 to 24 face a youth unemployment rate of 16 percent, significantly higher than their male peers. This disparity not only reflects a loss of opportunity, it reflects a loss of talent, of creativity, of growth. If we want truly inclusive development, we must create pathways that allow our young women to thrive. At the same time, we must confront the defining crisis of our era: climate change and environmental sustainability. Women are at the frontlines leading grassroots movements, pioneering clean technologies and shaping community-based solutions. But too often, their voices are excluded from environmental decision-making. We must change that. We must empower women to lead the green transition and participate fully in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. This also means closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and AI, fields that are already transforming our economies. Women are underrepresented in these sectors, despite the immense potential they bring to innovation and problem-solving. If we fail to act, we risk replicating existing inequalities in the digital age. But if we succeed, we unlock new engines of inclusive growth. During our Jeju gathering, I was deeply inspired by the energy and commitment of delegates across the region. Our conversations were honest and urgent. We talked about gaps, like how only 10 economies in our region fully address women's health needs. We looked at opportunities, like harnessing the power of digital transformation to build resilience and close divides. And we rallied around solutions. From care infrastructure to workplace equity, from youth leadership to sustainability. But perhaps the most powerful reminder came not from the data, but from the people. The women who spoke. The stories they told. The passion they brought to the room. We are not here to tick boxes. We are here to drive change. To reshape the way our economies value care. To ensure women are not left behind in the digital transition. And to lead with the truth that when women advance, our economies advance. This is just the beginning. As Chair of the PPWE, I invite all APEC economies to take bold action, not only to recognize women's contributions, but to enable them. Let's reimagine how we design our policies, our workplaces, our societies, so that no woman has to choose between caring for a loved one and contributing to her economy. Because when we care for our people, for our planet, and for progress, we prosper. Anita Peña Saavedra is the Chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy and Head of the International Affairs Department at the Ministry of Women and Gender Equity of Chile. A passionate advocate for inclusive growth and gender-responsive policymaking, she brings decades of experience in social development, public sector transformation and multilateral cooperation.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
From Care To Change: Why Women's Empowerment Is Everyone's Business
APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy When we talk about the care economy, we often use statistics. We cite the data, we build dashboards, we call for reform. But for me, this isn't just a policy issue—it's personal. Just days before our Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) meeting in Jeju, I became the guardian of a child I will soon adopt. I wasn't able to be with my fellow delegates in person because I was doing what millions of women around the world do every day: caregiving. This moment in my life has brought clarity. It has deepened my conviction that caregiving must no longer be treated as a private burden, it is a share societal responsibility. It is economic infrastructure. And it is time for our institutions, governments and businesses to step up. Across the Asia-Pacific region, women shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities, often at the cost of their own economic potential. According to APEC's Women and the Economy Dashboard, only 18 economies have domestic care policies, and just 17 percent provide universal access to affordable childcare. Postnatal leave in many economies remains insufficient. This has to change. The care economy is not a women's issue, it is an economic imperative. It is about ensuring everyone, regardless of gender, can contribute fully to the economy and live a life of dignity. Investing in care means investing in productivity, in equality, in growth. And yes, it means investing in our future. That's why this year, under Korea's host year priorities of "Connect, Innovate, Prosper", we are tackling the care economy head-on, alongside three other critical areas: Women's leadership in global value chains Resilient and inclusive economies Women in science, health, AI and environmental sustainability We cannot talk about the future of our economies without including our youth, particularly young women. They are not the leaders of tomorrow; they are already leading today. They are building startups, driving innovation, and reshaping their communities. Yet, in our region, young women aged 15 to 24 face a youth unemployment rate of 16 percent, significantly higher than their male peers. This disparity not only reflects a loss of opportunity, it reflects a loss of talent, of creativity, of growth. If we want truly inclusive development, we must create pathways that allow our young women to thrive. At the same time, we must confront the defining crisis of our era: climate change and environmental sustainability. Women are at the frontlines leading grassroots movements, pioneering clean technologies and shaping community-based solutions. But too often, their voices are excluded from environmental decision-making. We must change that. We must empower women to lead the green transition and participate fully in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. This also means closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and AI, fields that are already transforming our economies. Women are underrepresented in these sectors, despite the immense potential they bring to innovation and problem-solving. If we fail to act, we risk replicating existing inequalities in the digital age. But if we succeed, we unlock new engines of inclusive growth. During our Jeju gathering, I was deeply inspired by the energy and commitment of delegates across the region. Our conversations were honest and urgent. We talked about gaps, like how only 10 economies in our region fully address women's health needs. We looked at opportunities, like harnessing the power of digital transformation to build resilience and close divides. And we rallied around solutions. From care infrastructure to workplace equity, from youth leadership to sustainability. But perhaps the most powerful reminder came not from the data, but from the people. The women who spoke. The stories they told. The passion they brought to the room. We are not here to tick boxes. We are here to drive change. To reshape the way our economies value care. To ensure women are not left behind in the digital transition. And to lead with the truth that when women advance, our economies advance. This is just the beginning. As Chair of the PPWE, I invite all APEC economies to take bold action, not only to recognize women's contributions, but to enable them. Let's reimagine how we design our policies, our workplaces, our societies, so that no woman has to choose between caring for a loved one and contributing to her economy. Because when we care for our people, for our planet, and for progress, we prosper. Anita Peña Saavedra is the Chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy and Head of the International Affairs Department at the Ministry of Women and Gender Equity of Chile. A passionate advocate for inclusive growth and gender-responsive policymaking, she brings decades of experience in social development, public sector transformation and multilateral cooperation.
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Accelerating Women's Economic Participation For Sustainable Growth
Issued by the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy Jeju, Republic of Korea, 4 May 2025 APEC economies are accelerating collective action on long-standing structural barriers limiting women's economic participation, ranging from inadequate care infrastructure and underrepresentation in global value chains to gender-based violence and unequal access to innovation. Under the theme ' Women's Economic Participation for Sustainable Growth,' the first meeting of the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) held in Jeju, Korea, from 3 to 5 May is mobilizing policymakers, experts and stakeholders to advance targeted, cross-sector strategies that embed gender equality at the heart of economic recovery and sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific. Opening the three-day meeting, Acting Minister of Gender Equality and Family of Korea, Shin Young-sook, underscored the importance of regional collaboration to share policies and strengthen solidarity on gender equality. 'With the goal of advancing gender equality and women's economic empowerment in the Asia Pacific region, APEC member economies established this meeting as a platform to share concrete policies and laid a foundation for stronger solidarity,' said Acting Minister Shin. Recognizing the forum's continued efforts over the decades, Acting Minister Shin highlighted landmark frameworks including the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC (1999), the La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth (2019) and the Putrajaya Vision 2040. 'These milestones have highlighted the importance of increasing women's participation in the labor market, strengthening women's leadership and women's empowerment and collecting sex-disaggregated data.' 'APEC has also contributed to promoting women's economic empowerment through women's active participation in trade and investment, the digital economy and sustainable growth,' Acting Minister Shin added. In line with Korea's APEC 2025 priorities of 'Connect, Innovate, Prosper', Acting Minister Shin outlined three areas of gender-responsive action. 'Under Connect, we aim to strengthen the global response to keep our society safe from gender-based violence,' she said. 'Through Innovate, we are focused on advancing women's empowerment and economic participation in the digital and AI sectors. And under Prosper, we seek to rebuild care systems in response to demographic shifts, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.' In her opening remarks at the meeting, Anita Peña, the Chair of the PPWE acknowledged the group's continued role in policy exchange and collaboration. 'Approximately 26 meetings have been held providing a robust platform for economies to exchange perspectives and collaboratively strengthen policies aimed at advancing women's economic empowerment,' she said. Peña highlighted key focus areas of the 2025 meeting, including global value chain resilience, the care economy, resilient economies and women's roles in science, health and environmental resilience. She emphasized that these focus areas draw on PPWE's deep expertise across the Asia-Pacific and benefit from strong leadership within various APEC fora. 'By fostering cross-fora collaboration through PPWE dialogues, we not only strengthen synergies across APEC, but also highlight the central role of women's economic empowerment in shaping inclusive and resilient policy outcomes across the region,' Peña added A policy discussion on women's participation in global value chains explored inclusive strategies for strengthening women's leadership and access across supply networks. Persistent gender gaps in access to trade finance, digital skills and leadership pathways continue to limit the economic potential of women-owned businesses. Cross-sector partnerships, inclusive trade policy design and stronger support mechanisms were emphasized as key enablers to boost women's meaningful integration into global supply chains. A second policy session explored how preventing violence against women and girls is fundamental to enabling inclusive, sustainable economic growth, especially in the digital age. Delegates examined the growing prevalence and complexity of both offline and online gender-based violence across the region The discussion called for stronger legislation, improved data and digital safety systems, and intersectional support for vulnerable groups as essential components of a gender-inclusive policy framework. 'I sincerely hope that this meeting provides APEC members with an opportunity to explore strategies for effectively addressing the global women's economic agenda and to engage in meaningful discussion that strengthen cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region,' concluded Acting Minister Shin.
