In Phnom Penh, ASEAN businesswomen draft blueprint for the next decade
ITC and the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network convened to chart a bold vision for the next decade.
1 MIN READ
NEWS UPDATE
CAMBODIA
4 November 2024
‘Women across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) struggle to access funding and fight outdated gender expectations,’ said Sridhavat Preeyapun, Chair of AWEN Thailand. ‘We regularly hear stories of women who have brilliant ideas but can’t secure a loan, or who leave business opportunities behind because of family responsibilities.’
In 2014, women leaders from the 10 ASEAN member states came together to form the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN). The coalition of women’s organizations has since become a leading platform for advancing women’s economic empowerment in the region.
Despite its notable successes, the Network recognized that a stronger strategic direction could help advocate more effectively for and deliver greater value to women entrepreneurs across ASEAN.
Last month, AWEN’s leaders gathered in Phnom Penh for a ‘Reflection Workshop’, which was organized and facilitated by ITC’s SheTrades Programme in ASEAN with support from the United Kingdom International Development. The workshop was implemented in partnership with AWEN and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Over three days, AWEN members focused on setting priorities for the next decade, tackling challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the region, and identifying strategies that AWEN could undertake to better serve its members.
Day one focused on team building and participants worked to reaffirm AWEN’s shared vision and goals. Through group exercises and discussions, women leaders generated a wealth of ideas to enhance AWEN’s support for women entrepreneurs in the region – and helped foster unity and trust among its diverse members.
The second day was dedicated to reflection and evaluation, offering participants a platform to take stock of AWEN’s achievements and explore ways to strengthen its organizational structure and collaboration with ASEAN bodies such as the ASEAN Committee on Women and the ASEAN Economic Community.
The final day shifted the focus to the future. Members identified initiatives to amplify AWEN’s impact. These include rolling out an ASEAN-wide collection of gender disaggregated data, organizing regional business-to-business matchmaking events, and building a database of AWEN members across the region, among others. Participants also worked on developing indicators to measure progress of the proposed activities and ensure accountability.
By the end of the three-day workshop, AWEN’s leaders had mapped out a blueprint for the next 10 to 20 years, as well as a strategic plan for the next 2 to 5 years.
Despite its notable successes, the Network recognized that a stronger strategic direction could help advocate more effectively for and deliver greater value to women entrepreneurs across ASEAN.
Last month, AWEN’s leaders gathered in Phnom Penh for a ‘Reflection Workshop’, which was organized and facilitated by ITC’s SheTrades Programme in ASEAN with support from the United Kingdom International Development. The workshop was implemented in partnership with AWEN and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Over three days, AWEN members focused on setting priorities for the next decade, tackling challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the region, and identifying strategies that AWEN could undertake to better serve its members.
Day one focused on team building and participants worked to reaffirm AWEN’s shared vision and goals. Through group exercises and discussions, women leaders generated a wealth of ideas to enhance AWEN’s support for women entrepreneurs in the region – and helped foster unity and trust among its diverse members.
The second day was dedicated to reflection and evaluation, offering participants a platform to take stock of AWEN’s achievements and explore ways to strengthen its organizational structure and collaboration with ASEAN bodies such as the ASEAN Committee on Women and the ASEAN Economic Community.
The final day shifted the focus to the future. Members identified initiatives to amplify AWEN’s impact. These include rolling out an ASEAN-wide collection of gender disaggregated data, organizing regional business-to-business matchmaking events, and building a database of AWEN members across the region, among others. Participants also worked on developing indicators to measure progress of the proposed activities and ensure accountability.
By the end of the three-day workshop, AWEN’s leaders had mapped out a blueprint for the next 10 to 20 years, as well as a strategic plan for the next 2 to 5 years.
About ITC SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme
Funded by the UK Government and launched in April 2018, the ITC SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme aims to foster an enabling gender-inclusive business ecosystem by promoting inclusive policy and data and engaging business support organizations, private-sector partners, and women-led businesses in Commonwealth+ countries
Over these past three days, we have done more than just reflect. We have laid the foundation for a stronger, more vibrant AWEN. We have crafted a shared vision, a roadmap to guide us towards a future where women-led businesses are not just surviving, but thriving across ASEAN. We came here as individuals representing our respective nations, but we leave as a united force, a sisterhood bound by a common purpose.
Eng Lykuong
Chair of AWEN
From this workshop, it is clear that AWEN is not only a strong voice for women entrepreneurs in the region, but they are also dedicated to providing practical support that will really make a difference to people’s lives.
Ben Matthews
Deputy Ambassador of the UK Mission to ASEAN
‘I hope AWEN will continue to collaborate and build on the outcomes of the workshop by implementing strategic initiatives that empower women entrepreneurs across ASEAN. My vision is for AWEN to grow as a strong, united network driving innovation, collaboration, and inclusive economic growth in the region.’
Irene Boey
Chair of AWEN Singapore
‘The in-person workshop brought to life insights we have gathered through months of research and online interviews with AWEN leaders, partners and stakeholders in the ASEAN business ecosystem. It is important that the process is inclusive and collaborative – so that there is a strong sense of ownership and commitment to the outcomes we achieve at the end of the workshop.’
Lucie Debornes
ITC Institutional Strengthening Expert
‘ITC is fully committed to continuing its collaboration with AWEN to transform this strategy into reality. We look forward to leveraging our expertise and resources to solidify AWEN’s role as a key player in advancing gender-inclusive economic growth in ASEAN.’
Michelle Kristy
Manager of the SheTrades Programme in ASEAN
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