Gender Justice
The Asia-Pacific region is one the most diverse regions in the world in terms of politics, economy and culture. Despite significant economic growth and improved educational opportunities in recent decades, multiple socio-economic inequalities persist in the region, with ‘gender’ being a central axis of discrimination.
The labour force participation of women in Asia remains low in many countries. The majority of women work in the informal economy, often under harsh conditions without proper social protection. And while women have found opportunities opening up in labour-intense export industries and digitalized service sectors, the digital divide is shaping the future of many women and girls. Women in Asia also spend four times as much time on unpaid care work than men, often connected to a lack of public services. Far too often, the experience of gender-based violence is a part of women’s and girls’ day-to-day life. Yet, they are leading many inspiring initiatives, questioning the discriminatory gender roles and norms that are deeply embedded in social structures and cultural practices.
Against this background, FES is committed towards working with its partners to advance gender equality in Asia-Pacific. At the heart of our work lies the question: How can we overcome structural economic and social inequalities to achieve a more gender just and sustainable future?
We support public debates on gender justice through our network of offices in the Asia-Pacific and facilitate regional and international exchanges between Asian, European, and international experts. Our regional work is coordinated by the Gender Justice Hub Asia, hosted by FES Nepal in Kathmandu, which is part of the FES Global Gender Innovation Network. Together with colleagues, feminist activists, and partners we create spaces for mutual learning and develop strategies to support transformative change. Throughout all our activities we follow an intersectional approach.
Read about the women who have paved the way for gender justice in Asia:
News
“Women are leading effectively and efficiently any time they are given the opportunity”
An interview on empowering women in Pakistan’s local politics with Shad Begum. More
Dreams of Equality: Stories of struggle and aspirations of young women in Nepal
Role models and their stories have a great impact on supporting conversations about gender equality and gender justice. The FES Nepal Office collected... More
Why we urgently need a gender-just urban future
Cities tend to reflect traditional gender roles and gendered division of labour. Instead, urban planning and design should address inequalities and... More
Analysing women and work in South Asia
Latest research unveils key issues and opportunities for women and the future of work in South Asia. More
The crucial role of Filipino women in the country’s road to peace
With spaces for dialogues and leadership expanding in government and civil society, women in the Philippines have taken up the role of peace leaders... More
Gender justice through digital rights and data
Opportunities and threats of digitalization for women in the COVID-19 crisis. Reflections from Asia as part of the FES W7-blog. More
Fighting gender bias in Mongolian political news coverage
The lack of women's representation in political news coverage is global. But journalists and newsrooms in Mongolia have started to work to break the... More
Women’s Economic Resilience After COVID-19
The COVID19-crisis has revealed multiple fault-lines, yet these could also be seen as opportunities for identification of changes to help women cope... More
COVID-19 threatens Vietnam’s progress on gender equality
Vietnam has made great efforts in providing a comprehensive legal framework to protect women's and children's rights. But violence against women and... More
A feminist approach to urban planning is vital for the future of cities
Integrating feminist priorities into city planning is essential, not just for gender equity, but also for climate resilience and wider sustainability.... More
Modest gains at risk: Afghan women face multi-dimensional challenges for economic participation
Worsening security conditions and societal polarization pose a risk to modest gains for gender justice. We explored three critical aspects. More
The laborious challenge of enhancing women’s participation in India’s workforce
Indian women’s participation in the labour market is low and falling, despite numerous policies and interventions from government and other agencies.... More
Women and girls across Asia are facing complex, urgent risks from the pandemic, expert warns
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted billions of lives around the world. But the crisis is hitting already-vulnerable women and girls in several new... More
Beijing +25 – Looking back, looking forward
1995 marked a seminal year in the global fight for gender equality. How far have China and Germany come, and what remains to be done? More
How COVID-19 fuels the digital gender divide
It is high time to act and re-imagine our digital future in Asia. More
Publications
COVID-19 crisis and women in Asia
Gender-specific impacts, policy responses and women’s agency in context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia. More
Transformative strategies towards gender equality in trade unions
Tools and strategies for change and sustaining progress towards gender equality in trade unions. More
Toolkit for gender transformative communication
Featuring best practices and common pitfalls of communications within international cooperation. More
Transformative change for gender equality
Our new guide explores feminist approaches to transformative change, extracts lessons to learn and provides tools and inspiration to bring feminist... More
Icons of gender justice
Read about the lives of those who paved the way for women’s rights in Asia in this new graphic novel anthology. More
Women and the future of the digital economy in Asia
How are women in Asia are affected by digitalization and automation? More
Women and the future of care work in Asia
This study analyses care and welfare policies and its impact on women in Asia. More
Feminist perspectives on the future of work in the Philippines
A starting point for further analysis and discussion about women and the future of work in the Philippines. More
Gender perspectives on the future of work in China
A starting point for further analysis and discussion about women and the future of work in China. More
Feminist visions of the future of work in Asia
Narratives and perspectives on the future of work in Asia through a feminist lens. More
Gender and the future of work in Thailand
A starting point for further analysis and discussion about women and the future of work in Thailand. More
Feminist perspectives on the future of work in India
This study examines the latest insights about the future of work in India and its effects on women. More
Women workers and the future of work in Pakistan
A study on narratives around the future of work in Pakistan. More
Feminist perspectives on the future of work in Bangladesh
A discussion on what the the future of work could look like for women in Bangladesh. More
Examining women’s roles in the future of work in Indonesia
A discussion about women and the future of work in Indonesia. More
What is gender justice?
Today, economic, political, and social privileges are unevenly distributed and women as well as people with other sexual and gender identities are discriminated against. Working towards gender justice means reducing structural barriers that determine the distribution of power, wealth, and time in society. At FES, we understand gender justice as the freedom to choose different ways of being and living based on equal distribution of resources, equal possibilities to exert influence and equal respect regardless of gender.
