1st ASEM conference started today in Vilnius
The 1st ASEM conference “Women’s Economic Empowerment: Creating Equal Opportunities in the World of Work” is held in Vilnius on May 25-26, 2017.
At the initiative of Lithuania the Vilnius conference on women’s economic empowerment will launch Asia – Europe dialogue on women empowerment and gender equality and will open a new chapter in ASEM cooperation.
It is our belief that ASEM countries representing different economic models must contribute to the global imperative to achieve full gender equality through exchanging the experiences of their best policies and practices. Informal nature of ASEM provides unique tool of connecting governments and other stakeholders to work together on this issue.
Lithuania is grateful to all ASEM countries for their full support to this initiative. 9 ASEM member countries have become cosponsors of the conference: Japan, Sweden, Romania, the Philippines, Vietnam, Croatia, Mongolia, China and India.
Geneva based organizations also make an important contribution to the conference. One of the keynote speakers is Prof. Dr. Dalia Leinartė, Chairperson, of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Other speakers from Geneva are:
Ms. Manuela Tomei, Director, Conditions of Work and Equality Department, International Labour Organisation (ILO) with presentation on Women at Work Initiative
Ms. Nneka Henry, Adviser to the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC) with presentation “Economic Benefits of Unlocking Markets for Women to Trade”.
Ms. Laura Kangas, Girls in ICT Initiative Coordinator for Europe, International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
