As the world commemorates the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking Beijing Declaration on women's rights, China hosts a pivotal Global Leaders' Meeting this October to accelerate progress on gender equality. This gathering builds on a decade of collaboration with UN Women, reflecting Asia's growing role in shaping global development agendas.
In a special livestream event, trailblazers from tech, academia, and business shared transformative stories of overcoming systemic barriers. A fintech founder from Jakarta revealed how microfinance initiatives are empowering rural women entrepreneurs, while a Shanghai-based AI researcher discussed breaking stereotypes in male-dominated STEM fields. Panelists emphasized the economic imperative of gender parity, citing World Bank estimates that equal workforce participation could add $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025.
The dialogue comes as Asia leads in several Sustainable Development Goal metrics, with the Chinese mainland achieving 99% female literacy rates and Vietnam closing its gender pay gap to 13% – outperforming the global average. However, participants stressed the need for continued investment in digital education and leadership pipelines to maintain momentum.
