Forum on Gender Issues in East and Southeast Asia:

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Women in East Asia and South East Asia are divided into basically two distinct camps – they are leaders, economically more independent, career-oriented and in much improved position than their own mothers; or they are caught in a trap of survival on a daily basis, keeping their families or becoming a worse-off underclass than their own mothers. The women’s movement in the countries of East Asia and South East Asia have raised awareness to the woman’s position in these countries. But the challenges to improvements to the quality of life remain as the frequent changes in political leadership, the present-day phenomenon of migration of labour, the rise in HIV, the weak sharing of benefits. Nevertheless there is today greater access to the right to vote, the right to an education and equal opportunities to work. The regions as a whole struggles to eradicate poverty, increase transparency, reduce border conflicts and work towards religious harmony. To what extent do women feature in the policies in East Asia and South East Asia is what this two-day Forum aims to map.