The Philippines, through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (AWEN) and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), brings women business leaders and disruptors together as through the ASEAN Women’s Business Conference (AWBC) on 31 August 2017 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

The conference will put forward the women agenda in the business and economic landscape in ASEAN. It will gather ASEAN women business leaders, government representatives, officials from ASEAN dialogue partners and representatives from supporting international organizations.
AWBC with the theme, “ASEAN Women: Leading Change,” will highlight three sub-themes: Women Innovators in ASEAN, Women in Trade and Inclusive Business, and Women and Human Capital Development.

“This will be an opportunity for the Philippines to lead discussions between ASEAN, the private sector, and our dialogue partners about the current state of women in the economic and business sector. This will also support our stronger call for a truly inclusive, innovation-led growth in ASEAN,” said DTI Trade and Investments Promotion Group Undersecretary and ASEAN CBIP Chairperson Nora K. Terrado.

AWEN Chair Pacita “Chit” Juan reiterated private and public sector collaboration as integral in achieving key outcomes for the advancement of women in various fronts.
“AWEN, as chaired by the Philippines until 2018, will be instrumental in making collaboration and cooperation as integral elements in giving a stronger voice for women within the ASEAN region. As a network, it allows women to discuss issues and concerns in women’s economic participation particularly in innovation and technology, accessing markets, and finance,” explained Juan.

Events supported by ASEAN dialogue partners are also set to take place at the PICC on 28-30 August.

On 28 August, Women ICT Frontier Initiative (WIFI), the flagship activity of the United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Center for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT), will hold its ASEAN Sub-Regional Launch at the PICC. As a key program advancing women’s potential in utilizing information and communication technologies (ICT), APCICT partners with AWEN in the promotion of ICT in advancing businesses as well as the capacity of government business leaders in creating an enabling environment for ICT-empowered women entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, the Philippines-Australia ASEAN Women in Business Forum will be held on 29 August. The event expects women representatives and leaders from ASEAN and Australia.

For more information about the ASEAN Women events, kindly contact [email protected].