ABOUT THE EVENT

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) faces complex challenges – climate change, demographic shifts, rapid technological advancement – that both threaten progress and offer potential for transformative solutions. In this dynamic landscape, the GMS Gender Equality and Inclusion Forum served as a convening platform for discussion between government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders to share innovative approaches, strengthen collaboration, and forge a collective vision for advancing gender equality and social inclusion, amid rapid change in the region.

OBJECTIVES

The 2024 GMS Gender Forum seeks to:

(i) Officially launch GMS Gender Strategy Implementation Plan 2025-2030;

(ii) Inspire participants to advance initiatives toward gender equality and social inclusion in an era of climate change, demographic shifts, and technological advances.

(iii) Showcase innovative practices and approaches in the GMS countries by the government, ADB, and other development partners to address regional challenges such as climate change and demographic shifts.
(iv) Foster deeper collaboration among stakeholders from GMS countries by sharing insights and best practices on promoting gender equality and social inclusion in the region.

The first day of the GMS Gender Equality and Inclusion Forum showcased innovative practices and approaches from diverse stakeholders in the GMS region to advance gender equality, with a particular emphasis on leveraging digitalization, fostering climate change innovation, and navigating demographic shifts.

Theme 1: Gender Equality, Digitalization, and Innovation in the GMS will explore how digital technologies can be harnessed to promote gender equality, empower women, and address gender-based challenges in the region.

The GMS region is currently undergoing a significant digital transformation, offering unprecedented opportunities while also presenting substantial challenges for gender equality. While digital technologies hold immense potential to empower women and girls to improve their social and economic outcomes, these also risk deepening existing gender disparities, perpetuating gender discrimination, and increasing digital harassment and violence against women. This session aims to foster dialogue and action among experts, policymakers, and innovators to examine the complex relations/ intersection between

gender and digital technologies. It will explore a crucial role that digitization plays in advancing gender equality by breaking down barriers, promoting inclusivity, and creating opportunities for women and girls. 

Theme 2: Women as Drivers of Climate Change Innovation in the GMS will highligh the crucial role of women in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, and showcasing innovative approaches led by women in the GMS.

As we strive to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build resilience to climate change, women, in all their diversity, play a critical role in mitigation, adaptation, and response efforts. Climate change disproportionately affects women due to their overrepresentation in vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture, yet, this also presents unique opportunities for women to drive climate innovation, bringing valuable perspectives and solutions. This session explores how and to what extent women’s climate action opportunities are affected by policies and the business environment. It aims to highlight women’s leadership in driving green transformation and sustainable business practices, showcasing their skills and expertise in adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts.

Theme 3: Gender Equality in a Changing Demographic Landscape in the GMS will examine the impacts of demographic shifts on gender dynamics and identifying strategies to ensure gender equality in the evolving landscape.

Demographic change is one of the megatrends in GMS countries. Considering gender equality within the changing demographic landscape of the GMS is essential. As population dynamics shift—due to factors like urbanization, aging, and migration—gender norms, roles, and opportunities evolve. Challenges include ensuring equitable labor market participation, addressing the needs of elderly women in areas such as health and social protection services and responding to women’s increased child and elderly care responsibilities. Opportunities lie in expanding the market of silver and care economy, where innovative products and services are offered, and new training, upskilling and job opportunities are provided for women. This session explores the ways to maximize the opportunities for women in the context of demographic change, and how the policy makers, private sector and development partners can enhance enabling environment to empower women across all life cycles both economically and socially, promote women’s leadership in demographic policy and planning.

The second day of the GMS Gender Equality and Inclusion Forum highlighted issues, initiatives, and lessons learned related to the intersection of gender inequality with other dimensions of discrimination and vulnerabilities (e.g., age; disability; ethnicity; sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions and sex characteristics (SOGIESC); income status; and geographic location) in the GMS.

This session presented the concept of intersectionality and its relevance to advancing gender equality. It focused on the intersection of gender with age, disability, ethnicity, income status, and geographic location. Given the sensitivity of a discussion on SOGIESC, this topic is separated from the first session and will be discussed in a dedicated second session.

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