Senior Officials Conferences on Gender Mainstreaming in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)



This pioneering gender mainstreaming project was an initiative of the ACW Philippines under the ACW Work Plan 2016-2020.  It emphasized that gender equality and women’s empowerment is not only a socio-cultural issue, but a cross-cutting one across the three ASEAN community pillars and sectoral bodies.  It is aligned with the following statements adopted during the 31st ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in November 2017 in Manila:

  • ASEAN Declaration on the Gender-Responsive Implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and Sustainable Development Goals
  • ASEAN Declaration on the Role of the Civil Service as a Catalyst for Achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025
  • Action Agenda on Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) in ASEAN
  • ASEAN Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN

The project aimed to:

  • Increase the understanding among sectoral bodies on gender mainstreaming;
  • Increase knowledge of available methods and tools to mainstream gender equality in sectoral policies and projects; and
  • Come up with recommendations or proposed Gender Mainstreaming Action Plans (GMAPs) to infuse gender perspectives in the plans and activities of sectoral bodies in the 3 ASEAN community pillars.

The Poverty Eradication and Gender Division (PEGD) of the ASEAN Secretariat provided guidance to the PCW in the implementation of this project.



The first conference which involved the ASCC Sectoral Bodies was conducted on 27-29 June 2018 at the Dusit Thani Manila.  It was attended by 15 ASCC Sectoral Bodies from all ASEAN Member States, a total of 117 delegates.  



The second conference with the AEC pillar, held on 10-12 December 2018 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, was attended by 163 delegates from 19 sectoral bodies.



The final conference was conducted among the APSC sectoral bodies on 11-13 September 2019 at the Diamond Hotel Manila, with 19 sectoral bodies in attendance.


The reports on all three conferences may be accessed here.