In Asia: Weekly Insight and Features from Asia

Millions of women in Asia are on the rise – taking advantage of expanding economic and educational opportunities, political participation, increasing rights and influence within their societies. At the same time, others remain trapped in a cycle of illiteracy, poverty, or ill health, often lacking the means to raise themselves and their families out of it. We’ve found over more than a half century that mobilizing women is a powerful way to accelerate progress. Investing in women fundamentally strengthens families, and improving social, economic, and political opportunities for women improves societies as a whole. The Asia Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Program seeks to identify change agents, create new political and economic opportunities for women, build constituencies for reform, develop leaders, increases women’s rights and ensure their personal security. Watch a photo slideshow celebrating women of Asia.

Photo by Karl Grobl.