Articles Category: Civil Service

After a stint as a domestic helper in Malaysia and a business owner in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Mrs. Sani returned to her hometown Karangrejo Village in the mountainous region of Kendal, Ngawi, East Java, Indonesia.There, she establishe

Indigo derives from the Greek word “indikon,” meaning “from India.” The Indus valley civilisation in 4th century BC discovered that the Indigofera plant could produce a blue dye. A complex and time-consuming process of soaking, fermenting, and drying i

“Be a man.” “Toughen up.” These are phrases women often hear. From everyday life to the professional realm, we are reminded more often than needed to be equal to men. This has set us up to a fallacy that men and masculine qualities are the benchmarks f

“Every child has a right to dream, all girls need to study and to pursue their futures, and not to become a wife or a mother at a young age. And if they are forced to marry someone, they should know that they have the right to say “no.”  They should di

Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya served as the Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN from 2021 to 2024. Ambassador Urawadee gave this interview shortly before she left Jakarta on March 2024 for her next assignment as Ambassador of Thailand to Vi

Women in ASEAN in the Era of Digitalisation: Facing Challenges and Seizing Opportunities The celebration of Women’s Month this year resonated deeply with the priorities and commitments of ASEAN to forge ahead with gender equality and the empowerment of

Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati talks to The ASEAN about the regional frameworks and plans that embody ASEAN’s strategies for empowering and improving the well-being of women and girls in the region. She also talks about why Indonesia is encoura

ACCSM Chair Ajman Meludin shares ASEAN’s goals and plans for the civil service sector, following the increased demand for online public services as a result of the pandemic. He discusses the challenges of improving the digital infrastructure and buildi

ACWC is a consultative body that supports the work of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development. ACWC Chair and Cambodian Ministry of Women’s Affairs Under Secretary Hou Nirmita talks about the role of the Commission in securing t

Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu addresses issues of power, representation, and equality. Before joining the World Bank as a managing director in 2020, she held various leadership positions in the Indonesian government, including as Minister of Trade (2004-2011)

The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly trying for Philippines-based OB-Gynecologist Marites Barrientos, known as “Doc Tess” to her patients. For someone who finds immense joy in caring for expectant mothers and delivering babies, it was challenging to

Zain Nabil Haiqal’s love for wildlife and animals stems from childhood. The 25-year-old college student vividly remembers a visit to a West Java zoo where he encountered a forlorn-looking orangutan. The primate’s sorrowful expression moved him to tears

It is neither fame nor her three million followers on social media that brings Sania Leonardo the greatest happiness. Instead, it is the warm embrace of her students at emergency schools and their excitement to see her whenever she arrives.

Like any ordinary person, 40-year-old Trang Jena Nguyen initially believed that first aid skills and knowledge were exclusively for doctors and medical professionals. However, it only took one workshop to change her mind.

Shiela May Pansoy, a 39-year-old native of Davao del Sur, is one of the 37,000 women in the Philippine police force.