Time of Event
Day 1: 09:30–17:00
Day 2: 09:00–17:00
Day 3: 09:00–14:00
Summary
Asia and the Pacific is the only region with a declining regional female labor force participation rate. At the same time, society continues to heavily rely on women as unpaid caregivers, but this traditional approach has not been conducive for women’s empowerment, gender equality, or sustainable development for all. Achieving women's economic empowerment requires a multi-faceted approach involving concerted efforts from governments, the private sector, international organizations, and civil society organizations, among others.
Governments play a crucial role in designing and implementing policies that promote gender equality and enhance opportunities for women to participate in the economy. This includes measures to eliminate gender-based discrimination, ensure equal pay for equal work, and provide access to affordable quality childcare, which will be one of the focuses for this year’s theme, investing in childcare.
The annual forum will bring together experts from international organizations, academia, and policy makers from developing member countries across the region to discuss policy recommendations and share country experiences. Sessions will explore financing options to accelerate public and private investment in childcare, policies to increase accessibility and quality, and innovative childcare models.
Objectives
- Build understanding of how unpaid care work, especially childcare can impact gender equality and women’s participation in the economy, through the lens of accessibility, affordability, quality, and decent work for childcare workers.
- Equip policy makers with knowledge about policy instruments and institutional frameworks for supporting early childhood care and education.
- Help policy makers design adequate policies to support this agenda.
Target Participants
- Policy makers and regulators from Asian Development Bank member economies
- Experts from ADBI, ADB, think tanks, universities, and international organizations
Output
- Enhanced understanding of the critical role of childcare to promote women empowerment and support several SDGs for the benefit of the whole of society.
- Increased policy maker capacity to assess and develop policy tools and regulatory frameworks supporting investment in childcare.
- Policy dialogue and networking among various government agencies, international organizations, and academic institutions to facilitate better design of policies.
How to Register
By invitation or prior arrangement with ADBI