The theme of the Meeting is ''Enhancing Partnerships for the Economic Empowerment of ASEAN Women''. The Meeting will set out key priority areas including the political and economic empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming of policies and programmes. It will also discuss ways to strengthen regional cooperation for the advancement of women in ASEAN countries.
The Opening Ceremony will be officiated by Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore.
Delegates from all 10 ASEAN countries will be participating in this Meeting, which is supported by the ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting is preceded by a one-day Work-Life Harmony Workshop on 1 November 2006, also held at Orchard Hotel.
Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, said, ''Ensuring the long-term economic well-being of women is integral to ensuring sustainable development. We must intensify collaborations with relevant strategic partners to implement initiatives which will enable women to become active agents in and beneficiaries of development. Singapore is honoured to host this Meeting which brings together ASEAN member countries to share experiences, lessons learnt, and technical expertise to boost women's standing in the region.''
Background Information
The ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) monitors progress made by ASEAN Member Countries in implementing or addressing key regional priorities identified for the advancement of women in the region.
The directive and mandate for the regional-level monitoring is found in the 1988 Declaration on the Advancement of Women in ASEAN, and the 2004 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in ASEAN.
Member Countries exchange views on national experiences, particularly in addressing the critical areas of concern under the Beijing Platform for Action. The ACW also undertakes projects and programmes to promote women's advancement in the region.
MCYS MEDIA RELEASE NO: 39/2006
DATE OF ISSUE: 02/11/2006