Agenda 2013
Download the Agenda in PDF here.
Women in Asia: Building on Progress, Confronting Challenges
Asia Society’s Women Leaders of New Asia Summit
April 12-14, 2013
New Delhi, India
Preliminary Agenda
(As of April 11, 2013)
Friday, April 12, 2013
5:15 pm Departure for Indian International Centre
6:30 – 8:00 pm Public Program
Venue: India International Centre, #40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate,
New Delhi
A New Women’s Revolution in the Making?
While the Asia Pacific region has made great strides in narrowing the gender gap in recent decades, significant disparities remain within individual countries and across the region. Why in this day and age, are women still subjected to unimaginable violence, systemic discrimination, and barriers that stymie their potential and progress? What explains the dichotomy between societal demands to redress discriminatory cultural practices versus the political will to address legal challenges and initiate structural reforms? In a rapidly changing Asia, what opportunities are available for women as they endeavor to lead economically, politically, and socially? How do we ensure that policy is actually put into action?
Moderator:
Vishakha N. Desai
President Emerita, Asia Society
Special Advisor for Global Affairs, Columbia University
Speakers:
Margaret Alva
Governor of Rajasthan
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury
State Minister
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh
Penny Low
Member of Parliament
Parliament of Singapore
Melanne S. Verveer
Executive Director
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
8:15 pm Depart India International Center for off-site dinner
Hosted by Kiran Nadar, Chairperson, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
8:45 pm Opening Dinner
Venue: Kiran Nadar Residence
Saturday, April 13, 2013
7:30 am Breakfast
Venue: Machan, Lobby Level
8:30 am Welcome Remarks
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Vishakha N. Desai
President Emerita, Asia Society
Special Advisor for Global Affairs, Columbia University
8:45 – 10:15 am Session 1
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women:
The Post-MDG Agenda
Promoting gender equality and empowering women is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While some of the goals have already been met ahead of the 2015 target date, according to the latest MDG Report of 2012, the goal of gender equality remains unfulfilled and women continue to face discrimination with regard to access to education, economic opportunities, and political participation.
- With the realization that overall MDG goals are going to fall short, what should the post-MDG agenda look like?
- Which countries have been most successful in advancing women’s political and economic participation, and closing the gap between commitment and practice, and how were they able to do it?
- What are the lessons for the laggards?
- What are the roles and responsibilities of men and boys in promoting and ensuring gender equality?
Reflection & Action: The last 15 minutes of the session is dedicated to recapping the key discussion points and developing actionable ideas for moving the issues forward.
Moderator:
Astrid S. Tuminez
Regional Director
Legal and Corporate Affairs
Microsoft Southeast Asia
Discussion Leaders:
Caren Grown Gautam Kumra
Senior Gender Advisor Director
Bureau of Policy, Planning McKinsey & Company
and Learning
USAID
Lakshmi Puri
Acting Head, UN Women
Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
10:15 – 11:15 am Keynote Conversation
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Violence Against Women: India as a Case Study
Last December’s brutal rape case in New Delhi and the subsequent death of the victim bespeaks the systemic discrimination and gender-based violence that women continue to endure across India and many parts of Asia. While it may be unimaginable, especially against the backdrop of Asia’s rising prosperity and rapid change, the prevailing cultural norms and behavioral practices are still prejudiced against women in much of the region.
- What are the underlying causes for gender-based violence and its far-reaching implications for Asia’s future?
- What explains the reluctance to enact laws and policies that safeguard women’s rights and ensure their successful implementation?
- Which Asian countries are at the forefront of gender mainstreaming, how are they doing it, and what lessons can be learned from their experience?
Indira Jaising
Director, Lawyers Collective Women’s Rights Initiative
Former Solicitor General of India
11:15 am -12:45 pm Session 2
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Expanding Economic Opportunities for Women: A Prerequisite for Smart Economics
Accepted as a key driver of economic growth, governments and the private-sector are now increasingly looking at ways to make economic opportunities more accessible to women. Nevertheless, women continue to be poorer than men, face barriers in the workplace, earn less than men for the same work, and encounter difficulties in accessing credit and markets.
- What are the most critical persisting challenges that must be tackled before substantial improvement on women’s economic participation will be achieved? What part must each of us, from policy makers to corporate leaders, therefore play in order to address these barriers?
- Where have we seen significant progress and what can we learn from these case studies?
- What practical steps can unlock the economic potential of women, with a focus on those who are self-employed or employed by the informal sectors?
Reflection & Action: The last 15 minutes of the session is dedicated to recapping the key discussion points and developing actionable ideas for moving the issues forward.
Moderator:
Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi
Executive Director
Unilab Foundation
Discussion Leaders:
Spenta C. Kandawalla
Director
Captain Chemical Industries (PVT) Ltd.
Sonal Shah
Senior Fellow
Case Foundation
Li Xin
Managing Editor
Caixin – China Economics & Finance
12:45 – 1:45 pm Lunch
Venue: Villa Medici, Rooftop Level
1:45 – 2:30 pm Spotlight Conversation
The Changing Media Landscape
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Ankhi Das
Head of Public Policy
Facebook India
Monnita Komolvadhin
News Editor
Thai Public Broadcasting Service
2:30 – 4:00 pm Session 3
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Thinking Ahead with Next Generation Women Leaders
Today, across the Asia-Pacific region, women are entering the workforce in ever-larger numbers and stepping into leadership positions at institutions across the public and private sectors. This rapidly changing demographic trend will have a profound bearing for the future of the region.
- What do the next generation of women leaders perceive as the most pressing challenges confronting their generation?
- What are their priorities and how are they similar or different from the preceding generations’ priorities?
- Which women leaders inspire them and what lessons can they learn from the experiences of those leaders?
Reflection & Action: The last 15 minutes of the session is dedicated to recapping the key discussion points and developing actionable steps.
Moderator:
Kalpana Raina
Managing Partner
252 Solutions, LLC
Discussion Leaders:
Jade Taihee Chung
Executive Managing Director of HR
General Electric, Korea.
Shinto Nugroho
Head of Public Policy and Government Relations
Google Indonesia
Sheila Marcelo
Founder & CEO
Care.com
4:00 – 4:30pm Tea Break & Group Photo
4:30 – 5:15pm Spotlight Conversation
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Women Leaders in Philanthropy
Kiran Nadar
Chairperson
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
5:45 pm Departure for off-site reception
6:30 – 7:30pm Reception
Venue: Residence of the U.S. Ambassador to India
Hosted by Ambassador Nancy J. Powell, United States Ambassador to India, U.S. Embassy in New Delhi
7:45 pm Shuttle Bus back to the Hotel
8:00 pm Dinner
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Sunday, April 14, 2013
7:30 am Breakfast
Venue: Machan, Lobby Level
8:30 – 10:00 am Session 4
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Increasing Women’s Political Participation: Turning Policies into Practice
Participants discuss best practices and successful interventions from the Asia-Pacific region that have made the difference for women’s political participation.
- What progressive laws have led to the rapid increase in the number of women in parliaments and at different levels of governments?
- How has social media changed the way women organize, galvanize, and take political action?
- What other mechanisms can strengthen participation of women in the decision-making processes?
Reflection & Action: The last 15 minutes of the session is dedicated to recapping the key discussion points and developing actionable steps.
Moderator:
Anja Manuel
Partner
RiceHadleyGates, LLC
Discussion Leaders:
Attiya Inayatullah
Member of Parliament
National Assembly of Pakistan
Mu Sochua
Member of Parliament
National Assembly of Cambodia
Nilar Oo
Deputy Country Representative, Myanmar
Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
10:00 – 11:30 am Session 5
Venue: Longchamp & Villa Medici, Rooftop Level
Women Leaders Roundtable
Conducted world café-style, participants build on our conversations to identify 2-3 practical steps to overcome barriers to:
- Women leaders’ political participation
- Women leaders’ economic empowerment
- Fostering next generation women leaders
Table Discussion Leaders
Sabeen Mahmud
Founder & Director
PeaceNiche
Shinto Nugroho
Head of Public Policy and Government
Relations
Google Indonesia
Wenchi Yu
Senior Advisor
Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
11:30am – 12:15pm Session 6
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Summation of the World Café discussion
Table discussion leaders from each of the world café tables begins by summarizing the morning conversations at their tables, sharing salient points, and soliciting further input for a realistic action agenda.
12:15 – 1:15pm Lunch
Venue: Villa Medici, Rooftop Level
1:15 -2:00pm Session 7
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Forging Strategic Partnerships
To execute the action agenda, it will be critical to join hands with key organizations from across the region. Participants identify potential partners, discuss modalities for partnership, and draft a plan of action to secure long-term collaboration.
2:00 – 3:00pm Session 8
Venue: Longchamp, Rooftop Level
Developing an Action Agenda
Building on the roundtable conversation and discussions over the day and half, this session is devoted to developing a forward-looking action plan for each of the topic areas as well as the Women Leaders of New Asia Initiative.
3:00pm Closing Remarks