Asia-Pacific 2025 Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Forum – UN Women Asia and the Pacific

Report on the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Forum

Executive Summary

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Forum is scheduled for November 18-19, 2025, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, with virtual participation options. The forum will convene 150 stakeholders from the private and public sectors to translate gender equality commitments into concrete actions. This initiative is critical for advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), by leveraging private sector innovation and collaboration to build inclusive and resilient economies across the Asia-Pacific region.

Forum Overview and Strategic Objectives

Event Details

• Dates: November 18-19, 2025
• Location: Hilton Petaling Jaya, Malaysia & Virtual
• Participants: A diverse group of 150 representatives including WEPs signatories, SMEs, corporations, regulators, stock exchanges, policymakers, and development partners.

Core Mission: Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals

The primary objective of the forum is to address the implementation gap between corporate commitments to gender equality and tangible outcomes. By fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, the event aims to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality). This focus on women’s full and equal participation in the labor market directly supports the targets of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and contributes to reducing systemic disparities as outlined in SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Regional Context: Challenges and Opportunities for the 2030 Agenda

Impact of Regional Megatrends

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing significant transformations, including demographic shifts, digitalization, and the impacts of climate change. These trends present both challenges and opportunities for the advancement of the SDGs. If not managed with a gender-responsive lens, they risk exacerbating existing inequalities, hindering progress on SDG 5. However, strategic intervention can harness these transitions to create new opportunities for women and girls, thereby fostering innovation and building resilient economies in line with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

The Role of the Private Sector

The private sector is identified as a critical partner in achieving the 2030 Agenda. Its capacity for innovation and collaboration is essential for driving systemic change. The forum emphasizes the private sector’s role not only as an economic engine but as a key actor in building inclusive societies, a central tenet of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) as a Framework for Action

WEPs Framework Overview

Launched in 2010 by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, the WEPs offer a practical framework for businesses to advance gender equality. The principles provide guidance across the entire value chain, structured around key areas:

1. High-Level Corporate Leadership
2. Treat all Women and Men Fairly at Work without Discrimination
3. Employee Health, Well-being and Safety
4. Education and Training for Career Advancement
5. Enterprise Development, Supply Chain and Marketing Practices
6. Community Initiatives and Advocacy
7. Measurement and Reporting

With over 3,000 signatories in the Asia-Pacific region, the WEPs serve as a crucial tool for mobilizing corporate action in support of the SDGs.

Strategic Initiatives and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

Key Supporting Programs and Partners

The forum is supported by a network of initiatives and organizations committed to achieving the SDGs through gender-responsive business conduct. This collaborative approach exemplifies SDG 17 in action.

• The UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL): In partnership with the Australian Government, this platform uses the WEPs to foster innovative solutions that advance SDG 5 and SDG 9 by promoting gender equality within the private sector.
• WE RISE Together (WRT): This program promotes Gender-Responsive Procurement (GRP) and strengthens Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs) in the Mekong subregion, directly contributing to women’s economic empowerment under SDG 5 and promoting inclusive growth as per SDG 8.
• Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp): As a government agency, its partnership supports national talent strategies that align with the principles of decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
• International Finance Corporation (IFC): The IFC’s focus on private sector development in emerging markets provides critical support for creating sustainable economic opportunities that are fundamental to achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. The entire purpose of the Asia-Pacific WEPs Forum is to accelerate “action for gender equality.” The article discusses the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which are designed to guide private sector action to empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community. It directly addresses women’s ability to “participate equally and fully in the labor market.”

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects gender equality to economic outcomes, aiming to build “more resilient and inclusive economies.” It focuses on women’s participation in the labor market and the role of the private sector as an “economic engine.” The promotion of Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs) and Gender-Responsive Enterprises (GREs) directly supports inclusive economic growth and decent work.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  By focusing on overcoming the inequalities that prevent women from participating fully in the economy, the article addresses SDG 10. The forum’s goal is to turn megatrends that could “exacerbate existing inequalities” into opportunities for women and girls, thereby fostering “inclusive economies” and reducing gender-based disparities.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article heavily emphasizes collaboration. The forum itself is a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together “SMEs, corporates, regulators, stock exchanges, policymakers, industry associations, investors, government agencies and development partners.” It highlights specific partnerships with the Australian Government (DFAT), Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to achieve its objectives.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The WEPs, with their focus on “leadership,” directly support this target by encouraging companies to promote women to leadership roles.
   • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels. The forum engages “policymakers” and “regulators” to shift from commitments to “concrete collaboration and action,” which aligns with strengthening the policy environment for gender equality.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. The article’s core focus on improving women’s “ability to participate equally and fully in the labor market” is a direct contribution to this target.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The goal of creating “more resilient and inclusive economies” where women and girls have opportunities directly addresses the promotion of economic inclusion for women.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. The article is a clear example of this target in action, describing the WEPs Forum as a platform that brings together a diverse range of public and private stakeholders. It explicitly mentions partnerships between UN Women, the Australian Government, TalentCorp, and the IFC.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, several indicators are mentioned or implied:

• Number of private sector commitments: The article provides a direct metric: “more than 11,000 companies have signed the WEPs globally, of which over 3,000 are in Asia-Pacific.” This number serves as a key indicator of private sector engagement in gender equality (relevant to SDG 5 and SDG 17).
• Transparent reporting on progress: The WEPs are “underpinned by a strong emphasis on accountability and transparent reporting of progress.” This implies the use of corporate reporting and data disclosure as an indicator to measure the implementation of gender equality policies within companies (relevant to SDG 5).
• Number of Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs) and Gender-Responsive Enterprises (GREs) supported: The WE RISE Together (WRT) program aims to strengthen the capacity of WOBs and GREs. The number of businesses supported and their growth can be used as an indicator of women’s economic empowerment (relevant to SDG 5 and SDG 8).
• Number and diversity of partners engaged: The article lists the types of participants in the forum (“150 participants from WEPs signatories, SMEs, corporates, regulators, stock exchanges, policymakers, industry associations, investors, government agencies and development partners”). This serves as an indicator of the scale and effectiveness of multi-stakeholder partnerships (relevant to SDG 17).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: asiapacific.unwomen.org