Laos hosts 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit

The 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders' Summit, themed “Strengthening care economy and resilience towards ASEAN Community post-2025,” takes place in Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNA broadcasts)

The conference saw the participation of senior leaders, ministers in charge of women's development and gender equality, outstanding female entrepreneurs from ASEAN countries, Timor Leste, partner countries and representatives of the United Nations.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the third ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit via videoconference, at an invitation of his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone.

Promoting gender equality, women's empowerment, and as well as strengthening the care economy are among the priorities for Laos' ASEAN chairmanship in 2024.

Following Vietnam's initiative during its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, this year’s summit is a clear demonstration of ASEAN's commitment to and efforts in promoting gender equality and enhancing the role and great contributions of women and girls to family and society.

The summit focused on discussions about the challenges, difficulties and burdens that women face when undertaking unpaid care work, along with the multidimensional consequences on women's roles and contributions such as gender inequality, limited access to education and employment, gender-based violence, among others.

On that basis, the event has proposed many practical directions to raise awareness of the important role of women in the care economy and promote gender equality. Participants also proposed specific measures to increase investment in the care economy, solve complex and multidimensional issues, and better ensure the rights of workers, especially women./.