On Thursday, members of the Lao Women’s Union and representatives from other ASEAN countries gathered in Vientiane for the second day of the Pre-Summit Event leading up to the 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit. The summit, scheduled to open on August 23 in the Lao capital, is centered around the theme, “Strengthening the Care Economy and Resilience towards ASEAN Community Vision 2025.”
The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Aly Vongnobountham, President of the Lao Women’s Union and Vice Standing President of the National Commission for the Advancement of Women, Mothers, and Children. In her address, Mrs. Aly emphasized the event’s objective to provide a platform for ASEAN Women’s Committees and other stakeholders to promote and protect the rights of women and children across the ASEAN member states.
“Today we will discuss important topics such as the violence faced by women, and empowering women economically so they can escape poverty,” Mrs. Aly noted. She highlighted the critical issue of gender inequality exacerbated by disproportionately unpaid care work, which remains undervalued and unrecognized in GDP calculations. Citing data from UN Women, she pointed out that if the value of care work in the Asia-Pacific region were included in GDP, it could contribute up to $4.5 billion annually by 2025.
The gathering brought together representatives from various sectors, ASEAN member countries, development partners, and social organizations. The discussions focused on lessons learned and best practices in promoting the care economy, gender equality, and the empowerment of women in the region. Mrs. Aly reflected on the previous day’s discussions, which covered topics such as the digital care economy, migrant workers, and strategies for effective cooperation in the care economy within ASEAN and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
“I hope that all delegates will continue to participate, comment, and share lessons that are full of rich content and creativity,” Mrs. Aly said, urging participants to develop long-term strategies to address the challenges of unpaid caregiving and domestic work, thereby advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit will underscore the vital role, potential, and strength of women leaders and all women in ASEAN in shaping the region’s future, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit will reaffirm ASEAN’s commitment to supporting women and girls in both the paid and unpaid caregiving sectors as a critical regional priority. It will also acknowledge the specific challenges and opportunities in this area and culminate in a final statement outlining actionable recommendations to empower women and girls across the ASEAN region.
