Kuala Lumpur, 8 October 2025: Organised by the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry of Malaysia (MITI), HAWA Malaysia, and ERIA, the ASEAN Women’s Forum titled ‘Unleashing the Power of Women in ASEAN: Trade and Industry Across Borders’ concluded in Kuala Lumpur with a resounding call to place women at the centre of ASEAN’s economic and sustainable growth agenda.

The Forum opened with welcoming remarks by YBhg. Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, President of HAWA Malaysia, followed by a virtual address from H.E. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA. The event was officially inaugurated by YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry of Malaysia, who underscored the crucial role of women in driving inclusive and sustainable growth in Malaysia and across the ASEAN region.

Speakers and participants alike reaffirmed that most of ASEAN’s SMEs are built on the innovation and resilience of women entrepreneurs, who continue to drive growth despite facing structural barriers and unequal access to finance. The Forum emphasised that women’s empowerment is not only a moral imperative but also a sound economic strategy. Women-led MSMEs form the backbone of ASEAN’s local economies – fueling innovation, job creation, and community development – yet remain constrained by limited access to capital, markets, and recognition.

Dr Fauziah Zen, Senior Economist at ERIA and one of the panellists, stressed that empowerment is not charity but strategy. ‘Policymakers and stakeholders must recognise that women still face higher barriers – limited capital, restrictive norms, and systems that silence potential before it blooms, ’ she said. ‘To overcome these, we must invest in data, equitable financing, and systems that remove unconscious bias and enable women to thrive as equal partners in growth.’

Participants also noted that Malaysia’s 18 Free Trade Agreements – including the ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement – open doors to 28 international markets, offering simplified rules of origin and zero-duty opportunities. However, these benefits remain underutilised. To future-proof MSMEs, two transformations are essential: green and digital. Governments across ASEAN are working to streamline financing and compliance systems to help women-led enterprises scale sustainably.

The Forum further called for stronger leadership, mentorship, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure women are at the forefront of sustainable trade and industry transformation – particularly as ASEAN faces mounting climate and economic challenges.

In her closing remarks, YB Dato' Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development of Malaysia, urged policymakers, educators, and the media to promote women entrepreneurs not as exceptions but as champions of trade.

The Forum concluded with a unified call to action: to invest in data, collaboration, and equity – ensuring that women’s empowerment anchors a sustainable and resilient future for ASEAN.