Thirty years ago, 189 governments unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a progressive global blueprint for the advancement of women. Yet, across Asia and the Pacific, gender inequality stubbornly persists within homes, workplaces and public life. Currently, less than half of the region's working-age women are in the labour force, one in four is estimated to face domestic violence during their lifetime, and seven out of eight government ministers are men. On the other hand, deep-rooted stereotypes and biases are increasingly being identified and challenged. As societal challenges and shifts intensify, the urgency to reshape the future through women's empowerment has never been greater.

Gender equality and women’s empowerment across all spheres of life is essential for building prosperous and peaceful societies. As we seek to build a better future, our collective responses to climate change, demographic transitions and technological transformation requires the full involvement of women and girls to be effective. The region, and the wider world, simply cannot afford to leave the contributions of half its population untapped.

Progress, gaps and challenges

Over the past three decades, women and girls in Asia and the Pacific have seen notable improvements in several key areas. Efforts to reduce poverty and expand access to social protection, affordable healthcare, and other public services have yielded significant benefits. In education, a crucial driver of empowerment, the region has made commendable strides in closing gender gaps at primary and secondary levels. Concurrently, there has been a steady increase in women’s representation within parliaments.

Despite these advancements, profound gaps remain. Entrenched gender norms and biases continue to disadvantage women and girls, creating persistent disparities. In the economy, the gender gap in labour force participation has widened over the decades, with young women being three times more likely than young men to be neither employed nor in education. Meanwhile, in most Asia-Pacific countries and territories (13 out of 15) with data, women’s time spent on unpaid work is two to five times longer than men’s. Women’s paid employment is often confined to informal, low-skilled jobs, while being excluded from more lucrative careers in emerging science and technology fields. In terms of leadership and decision-making, women’s representation is still limited, occupying only around 20 per cent of parliamentary seats—well below the global average and far from parity. This underrepresentation extends across all branches of government and the private sector. Furthermore, violence against women remains a critical concern, with estimates suggesting that one in eight women of reproductive age has experienced intimate-partner violence in the last year alone, numbers that likely understate the full extent of the issue. 

Governments have taken steps towards addressing these challenges over the past five years. For example, frequently reported labour market actions include strengthening legal frameworks and enhancing financial inclusion. Notably, New Zealand introduced a new pay equity claims process in 2020, resulting in 176,000 individuals having their pay corrected. To increase women's participation in public life, governments have collected data, provided capacity building, and in some cases, applied quotas. For instance, Mongolia introduced a 30 per cent quota for women candidates in 2023, with plans for future increases. Strategies to eliminate violence against women have focused on raising awareness and fostering safer environments. Australia's national action plan, for example, aims to shift community attitudes by focusing on perpetrator accountability and involving men and boys. Looking ahead, eliminating gender-based violence, and closing gaps in economic empowerment and political participation are among the top priorities for the next five years.

How can governments address the gaps? 

Advance women’s economic empowerment by:

• Redefining social protection from a welfare option to a fundamental right.
• Reforming labour markets so that they equip women with essential skills, ensure decent work opportunities, and transform caregiving into a growth sector.
• Enhancing support for women entrepreneurs by improving entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Enhance women's participation and leadership through: 

• Meaningful policy reforms that include affirmative actions for women in key political, governance and corporate institutions.
• Investments in targeted strategies that break down gender barriers in management and leadership roles.

Address gender-based violence by:

• Developing and enforce detailed action plans with specific targets and sufficient funding for gender-based violence prevention.
• Tackling technology-facilitated violence and incorporate gender-sensitive approaches into peace and security measures.

Looking ahead, there is reason for optimism. Through commitment and collaboration, we can build a region that truly values and utilizes the talents and potential of all its peoples —where all women and girls are safe, empowered, and meaningfully represented.