Heads of delegations of APEC economies pose for a photo at the dialogue (Photo: VNA) Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – The 2017APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy was held in Hue cityon September 29, focusing on policy recommendations to enhance women’sinclusion and economic empowerment.
In his opening speech, Vietnam’s Minister ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, chair of the dialogue, saidalmost three decades since its foundation, APEC has established itself as thebiggest economic and trade cooperation mechanism in Asia-Pacific. It has alsoaffirmed that gender equality is the centre of economic and human resourcesdevelopment.
Women’s integration and empowerment havesignificantly influenced the region, he noted, adding that many APEC economieshave reportedly succeeded in reducing income and non-income inequality viaprogressive socio-economic policies. Therefore, inclusive growth andsustainable development is a common trend that member economies focus on.
Amidst global integration, investment in femaleworkers’ skills and productivity needs to be considered a policy makingpriority. Most unpaid labourers are women, particularly in agriculture, andtheir access to development resources is very limited.
The official urged APEC economies to pay moreattention to investing in infrastructure and public services as this will helpreduce and re-distribute unpaid housework and care work. To do that,governments and businesses have to increase budgets for this work.
Aside from more financial resources, it is alsonecessary to improve women and girls’ access to infrastructure, he said, citingstudies in many economies as showing that if 2 percent of GDP is invested incare services, especially social and childcare services, the number of jobswill rise by 2.4 – 6.1 percent.
Dung said as Vietnam and many other APECeconomies are facing slowing economic growth, it is crucial to promote economicreforms and socio-economic progress. Strategies for promoting inclusive andsustainable growth will be key to poverty elimination, inequality reduction,and environmentally friendly development.
“There remain countless difficulties on the longpath ahead. It may take us much more time and efforts. But I believe that withwhat we have, which are the energy, creativity, steadfastness and dynamism ofeach person, including women and men, girls and boys,… the APEC region willsurely witness a brighter future,” the minister stressed.
During the one-day dialogue, ministers and headsof delegations of APEC economies are set to provide policy recommendations toenhance women’s inclusion and economic empowerment.
A statement of the 2017 APEC Women and theEconomy Forum is also scheduled to be considered for adoption.
This forum has been held in Hue city, thecentral province of Thua Thien-Hue, since September 26. It is part of eventsorganised by Vietnam throughout the APEC Year 2017.
Established in 1989, the Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) comprises 21 economies, including Australia, Brunei, Canada,Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea,Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia,Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.
They account for 39 percent of globalpopulation, 57 percent of global GDP and 47 percent of global trade, accordingto 2014 statistics.-VNA
In his opening speech, Vietnam’s Minister ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, chair of the dialogue, saidalmost three decades since its foundation, APEC has established itself as thebiggest economic and trade cooperation mechanism in Asia-Pacific. It has alsoaffirmed that gender equality is the centre of economic and human resourcesdevelopment.
Women’s integration and empowerment havesignificantly influenced the region, he noted, adding that many APEC economieshave reportedly succeeded in reducing income and non-income inequality viaprogressive socio-economic policies. Therefore, inclusive growth andsustainable development is a common trend that member economies focus on.
Amidst global integration, investment in femaleworkers’ skills and productivity needs to be considered a policy makingpriority. Most unpaid labourers are women, particularly in agriculture, andtheir access to development resources is very limited.
The official urged APEC economies to pay moreattention to investing in infrastructure and public services as this will helpreduce and re-distribute unpaid housework and care work. To do that,governments and businesses have to increase budgets for this work.
Aside from more financial resources, it is alsonecessary to improve women and girls’ access to infrastructure, he said, citingstudies in many economies as showing that if 2 percent of GDP is invested incare services, especially social and childcare services, the number of jobswill rise by 2.4 – 6.1 percent.
Dung said as Vietnam and many other APECeconomies are facing slowing economic growth, it is crucial to promote economicreforms and socio-economic progress. Strategies for promoting inclusive andsustainable growth will be key to poverty elimination, inequality reduction,and environmentally friendly development.
“There remain countless difficulties on the longpath ahead. It may take us much more time and efforts. But I believe that withwhat we have, which are the energy, creativity, steadfastness and dynamism ofeach person, including women and men, girls and boys,… the APEC region willsurely witness a brighter future,” the minister stressed.
During the one-day dialogue, ministers and headsof delegations of APEC economies are set to provide policy recommendations toenhance women’s inclusion and economic empowerment.
A statement of the 2017 APEC Women and theEconomy Forum is also scheduled to be considered for adoption.
This forum has been held in Hue city, thecentral province of Thua Thien-Hue, since September 26. It is part of eventsorganised by Vietnam throughout the APEC Year 2017.
Established in 1989, the Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) comprises 21 economies, including Australia, Brunei, Canada,Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea,Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia,Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.
They account for 39 percent of globalpopulation, 57 percent of global GDP and 47 percent of global trade, accordingto 2014 statistics.-VNA
VNA
