“The international community has a shared responsibility to advance the cause of women,” Shen Yiqin said at APEC’s 2026 High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy in Shanghai on Friday.
According to an APEC statement released Saturday, Shen said women’s empowerment faced growing challenges amid global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.
She outlined several areas for collective action among APEC economies to strengthen women’s development and economic participation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Shen stressed the importance of creating an enabling environment for women’s growth while promoting stability and prosperity across the region.
She also called for practical policies ensuring women benefit from modernization and economic transformation efforts.
According to Shen, innovation should be used to address persistent imbalances and unequal development opportunities facing women in the region.
On gender equality, she urged economies to strengthen institutions and legal frameworks supporting women’s access to education, healthcare, employment and social protection.
Shen also encouraged deeper policy dialogue, experience-sharing and broader access to training, technology and entrepreneurship support for women in developing economies.
“We should turn gender equality into a common value and code of conduct in the Asia-Pacific region,” she said.
During the dialogue, ministers and senior officials exchanged policy ideas to accelerate women’s participation and leadership amid digital transformation and green economic growth.
Shen said discussions and cooperation among regional partners could help advance women’s economic empowerment through stronger commitments and concrete action.
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Reporter: Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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