Women and girls, everywhere in Asia, must have equal rights and opportunity, and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. Women’s equality and empowerment is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, but also integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development. Gender equality which is highly considered by AMF, requires urgent action to eliminate the many root causes of discrimination that still curtail women’s rights in private and public spheres. Eliminating gender-based violence in Asian countries is a priority for AMF, given that this is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world today.
While more women have entered political positions in recent years, including through the use of special quotas, they still hold less than a third of parliamentary seats, far short of parity. The situation is not much better in the private sector, where women globally occupy approximately a third of senior and middle management positions all around the Asia. AMF women committee acts to empower Asian women and girls across all its programs and advocacy. With stepped up action on gender equality, every part of Asia can make progress towards sustainable development by 2030, leaving no one behind.