Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its three partners, namely China, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan, must strengthen collaboration in empowering women through digitalisation, Malaysian Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Rubiah Wang said at the ASEAN+3 Forum on Women and Digitalisation held in Kuala Lumpur on October 9.
In her keynote address, Wang proposed three key areas of cooperation for the region’s way forward in supporting women’s empowerment through technology, with focus on capacity-building, innovation, and cross-border platforms.
In terms of capacity-building, the countries should share training programmes and digital literacy modules so that rural women can benefit from best practices.
For funding and innovation hubs, it is necessary to explore potential support for women-led start-ups, cooperatives, and enterprises with easier access to finance, technology, and mentorship.
Meanwhile, promoting cross-border e-commerce can give rural women entrepreneurs access to bigger markets, not only within ASEAN but also in East Asia, she said, adding that no single country can succeed alone as digitalisation moves fast, and collaboration is key.
Wang also reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to working closely with ASEAN and its Plus Three partners to build a digital future that leaves no woman, family, or community behind./.
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