Malaysia to set up ASEAN’s first women’s economic empowerment centre

ASEAN’s first Women’s Economic Empowerment Centre (AWES) is set to be established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As reported by the local news site The Star, the centre will make economic potential and opportunities accessible to all including micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), youth and women.

Malaysian Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said this aligns with the theme of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship this year, which is “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”

“One summit alone won’t solve all the challenges facing women. But the centre contributes to a worthy cause that has been championed for decades,” he said as quoted by the site.

According to official statistics, ASEAN is currently home to approximately 334 million women, and unlocking the potential of this demographic could generate an estimated 2.3 trillion USD in economic value. In addition to AWES, the bloc supports women and young entrepreneurs across the region through various platforms such as the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (AWEN), ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council (AYEC), ASEAN Social Enterprise Development Programme (ASEAN SEDP), and the ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO)./.