THE ASEAN Women’s Economic Summit (AWES) 2025 has been hailed by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek as a vital platform for fostering understanding, building networks, advancing cooperation, and enhancing leadership among women—an essential step in driving economic progress.
Fadhlina stressed the need for an inclusive ecosystem that empowers women to take on leadership roles at every level.
"Proactive measures must continue to be taken to improve the existing ecosystem and to strengthen the representation of women as leaders in the corporate and professional sectors," she stated in a Facebook post today.
Underscoring the role of education, Fadhlina described it as a cornerstone for cultivating a knowledgeable, competitive, and ethical generation.
"This is also in line with the World Bank’s findings, which show that quality education enhances a nation’s competitiveness. Only education can change a person’s life circumstances," she said.
The inaugural AWES 2025 took place over two days beginning last Saturday, coinciding with the 46th ASEAN Summit hosted by Malaysia under its ASEAN Chairmanship for the year.
Held under the theme ‘Empowering Women, Energising ASEAN: Pioneering Economic Integration for a Resilient Tomorrow’, the summit spotlighted the urgent need to place women at the forefront of ASEAN’s economic transformation, particularly in addressing contemporary challenges such as global trade wars, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
The event featured a series of panel discussions, strategic thought exchanges, leadership workshops, and mentorship programmes aimed at strengthening leadership pathways for women in the region. - May 26, 2025
