STRAITS TIMES SINGAPORE – The 10 Asean nations together make up the world’s seventh-largest economy and include some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. However, the region faces the headwinds of rising geopolitical challenges, climate change and environmental degradation, and job disruption from automation, artificial intelligence and other technologies.
Addressing these challenges is the first ever Women’s Forum Singapore, which will take place from Wednesday (Sept 12) to Friday at Raffles City Convention Centre.
The Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society is an international platform looking at major social and economic issues from female perspectives.
The Singapore edition will include more than 700 delegates and 100 speakers of various cultures, sectors and industries from Asean countries, Europe, China, India, and other nations.
Among the speakers will be Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Culture,Community and Youth Sim Ann, Malaysian writer Marina Mahathir, Indonesian model and actress Nadya Hutagalung and the National Bank of Cambodia’s director general of central banking Serey Chea.
Women’s Forum Singapore will feature more than 20 sessions discussing topics including artificial intelligence, climate change, women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), smart cities and responsible finance.
Themed “bridging worlds for inclusive innovation”, the forum aims to foster women’s leadership for social progress and economic impact in Singapore and Asean countries.
This year, Singapore also has the chairmanship of Asean, which celebrates its 51st anniversary.
Ms Chiara Corazza, managing director of the Women’s Forum, said: “It is here that we aim to make great strides in bridging the gender gap.”
Women’s Forum Singapore is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
The article was first published on Straits Times Singapore. (Click here)