Articles Category: Gender

ASEAN’s pioneering efforts in pursuing a circular economy in the region can be a game-changer. A circular economy purports a fundamental shift away from the “take, make, waste” linear economy towards an economic model that promotes the efficient use of

The second International Day for Women in Maritime was celebrated early at the 44th ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting (MTWG) in Da Nang, Viet Nam. The meeting, held on 9-11 May 2023, discussed strategic plans to enhance regional maritime c

Migration is inevitable in today’s world. People migrate for different reasons, perhaps to seek better life opportunities, or to find refuge or a safer place to live. Sometimes, migration is a matter of choice, but at other times, it is a necessity.

With its long coastlines and fertile seas, ASEAN Member States are some of the world’s top producers and exporters of fish and seafood products. In 2020, Indonesia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar were all among the top 25 co

As the fifth-largest economy globally, ASEAN is both the origin and destination of 6.5 million intraregional migrant workers (UNDESA, 2019). After spending time working overseas, at the end of their contracts, migrant workers are expected to return to

Ambassador Vicky Singmin shared her perspectives on ASEAN-Canada cooperation and outlined strategic partnership priorities for the coming decade, focusing on people-to-people connection and free trade partnership. She also emphasised Canada’s global le

On 11 October 2024, Ekkaphab Phanthavong officially completes his tenure as the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Before assuming his role at the ASEAN Secretariat, he was the Ambassador/Permanent Representative

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

Philippine Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, who serves as ALMM Chair, discusses two new ASEAN declarations that champion the rights and welfare of migrant workers and their families. He also describes a Philippine-led public campaign to raise aware

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

There are about 260,000 migrant domestic workers in Singapore, many of them are from neighbouring countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. Finding heartwarming stories about employers and workers in a sea of migrant workers may seem like digging f

Warni Ibrahim vividly recalls the tumultuous period of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past decade, 39-year-old Warni has worked as a migrant domestic worker. She first worked as a nanny before transitioning to her current role as a live-in caregiver fo

Forty-nine-year-old Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna always knew she wanted to become a lawyer. With a natural flair for expressing her thoughts, growing up, she was never afraid to assert her critical thinking.

Richard Regaspi was a migrant worker in the United Arab Emirates for 13 years before the COVID-19 pandemic hastened his return to the Philippines. It was a tough transition, but the move back allowed Richard and his wife to grow their young business an