Increasing Women’s Economic Opportunities

About this Topic

Through education, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and scholarships we equip women with the knowledge and skills to earn an income and break into higher-paid employment sectors. In the workplace, we address constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, providing networking opportunities, mentoring, access to information and credit, and business management training. Working alongside local partners we foster environments where women can advocate for improved policies.

Latest Publications

  • Striving Digitally: Understanding the Challenges of Malaysian Women Entrepreneurs

    Striving Digitally: Understanding the Challenges of Malaysian Women Entrepreneurs

  • Strengthening Care Economies in Asia and the Pacific

    Strengthening Care Economies in Asia and the Pacific

  • Opportunities for the Development of Women-Led Businesses and Clusters via Collective Marks and Certifications Marks

    Opportunities for the Development of Women-Led Businesses and Clusters via Collective Marks and Certifications Marks

News and Highlights

  • The Asia Foundation Mongolia Hosts President of Australian Senate and Parliamentary Delegation on Women’s Climate Resilience 

    The Asia Foundation Mongolia Hosts President of Australian Senate and Parliamentary Delegation on Women’s Climate Resilience 

    The Asia Foundation in Mongolia recently hosted the President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and a parliamentary delegation to discuss gender equality, social inclusion, and climate resilience and introduce […]

  • The Global Roadmap for Action on the Care Economy

    The Global Roadmap for Action on the Care Economy

    The caregiving crisis of Covid-19 and long-term trends such as aging populations have thrown a spotlight on the gaps in the global care economy. This Roadmap points to the way forward.

  • Professionalizing Care Work in Malaysia

    Professionalizing Care Work in Malaysia

    Malaysia’s aging population is expected to surpass 6 million by 2040, and the growing exit of women from the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities highlights the critical need for comprehensive care services by both the government and civil society. The Asia Foundation, through the Australia-Malaysia Reform Partnership (AMRP) is addressing these challenges by fostering collaborations and driving national efforts to professionalize the sector. 

  • International Day of the Girl Child: Young Women in STEM—A Force for Climate Action

    International Day of the Girl Child: Young Women in STEM—A Force for Climate Action

    The existential threat of climate change requires a creative, all-of-society response. It must include more young women in technical fields.

  • Accelerate My Business: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka  

    Accelerate My Business: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka  

    In Sri Lanka, women, particularly those from marginalized communities, face significant challenges in entering and succeeding in the labor force. They face a denial of employment, wage gaps, workplace discrimination, […]

  • Accelerate My Business: Transforming Women-Led Small and Growing Businesses in Vietnam

    Accelerate My Business: Transforming Women-Led Small and Growing Businesses in Vietnam

    Vietnam’s small and growing businesses (SGBs) comprise 98% of the national economy, accounting for 40% of the total gross domestic product and 50% of the total workforce. Of those growing […]

  • Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Asia Foundation Transfers B2B Platform to Mongolia Tech Start-up

    Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Asia Foundation Transfers B2B Platform to Mongolia Tech Start-up

    The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has officially transferred the B2B platform to the Mongolia-based tech start-up Gerege Systems LLC. The Foundation originally partnered with Gerege Systems to develop a comprehensive platform under the “Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Mongolia Using Digital Platforms for Business to Business” project. The B2B e-commerce platform is a comprehensive support system for women entrepreneurs and enhances women-led supply chains across Mongolia 

  • Toward a Resilient Care Ecosystem in Asia and the Pacific: Reflection on the Bali Care Economy Dialogue

    Toward a Resilient Care Ecosystem in Asia and the Pacific: Reflection on the Bali Care Economy Dialogue

      The Asia Foundation and the U.S. Department of State’s Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues are pleased to announce a virtual reflection session that will provide an overview of a […]

  • The Asia Foundation hosts George J. Furey and Delegates at the Women’s Business Center in Mongolia

    The Asia Foundation hosts George J. Furey and Delegates at the Women’s Business Center in Mongolia

    George J. Furey, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, and delegates visited the newly established Women’s Business Center (WBC) Post-Incubator space at the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry […]

  • A Pathway to Entrepreneurship for Sulu Women

    A Pathway to Entrepreneurship for Sulu Women

    The creation of the BARMM has brought a new era of peace to Sulu, in Mindanao, but this Philippine region still suffers from economic disadvantages that fall especially hard on women.

  • Accelerate Sulu Exhibit Showcases the Craftsmanship of Women Entrepreneurs

    Accelerate Sulu Exhibit Showcases the Craftsmanship of Women Entrepreneurs

    On May 26-28, Women entrepreneurs from Sulu joined a three-day exhibit in Manila, Anyam-Hablun: An Exhibition of Weaving Arts of Women of Sulu, to showcase their artistic creations. The exhibit […]

  • Asia Foundation partners with AT&T and Visa to launch “Accelerate” in Malaysia and Indonesia

    Asia Foundation partners with AT&T and Visa to launch “Accelerate” in Malaysia and Indonesia

    The Asia Foundation is collaborating with AT&T and Visa to launch the Accelerate program, an initiative that will help 6,000 women-led micro, small and medium-sized (MSMEs) enterprises in rural and […]

Latest Across Asia and the Pacific

  • The Asia Foundation Announces the 2025 Pacific Women Climate Leaders

  • Empowering Women in Shaviyani Atoll Maaungoodhoo, Maldives with Hydroponic Technology

  • Let’s Read Helps Advance Indonesian Literacy

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