The Executive Yuan's Department of Gender Equality announced that Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey of the National Development Council will lead a representative delegation drawn from 16 public and private organizations to Vietnam for the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and the Economy Forum from September 26 to 29.
Given the rise of digitalization, Taiwan will join with Vietnam's Ministry of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs on September 26 to co-host the APEC GIFTS for Women in the Creative Industry Workshop, and highlight innovation and technology as one of APEC's five key pillars impacting women's economic empowerment. The department said that the workshop will bring together representatives from the APEC economies, business women in Vietnam and overseas Taiwanese compatriots to engage in exchanges on policies and measures aimed at encouraging women to pursue science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) careers. Issues of economic participation and cultural traditions in the Asia-Pacific region will also be addressed in order to successfully identify policies for expanding business opportunities.
Taiwan's many years of hard work on gender issues in APEC are receiving recognition, said the department. Deputy Minister Kao has been invited to deliver the opening address at the Russia-hosted APEC Business Efficiency and Success Target Award ceremony, where Womany.net founder Chang Wei-shuan is Taiwan's nominee for an award. Also during the delegation's visit, Committee Member Hope Ong of the Executive Yuan's Gender Equality Committee will share best practices from Taiwan at the Philippines' workshop Women as Prime Movers of Inclusive Growth. Ms. Chang of Womany.net will also relate her experiences starting a business as part of an Industry 4.0 seminar on women technology entrepreneurs, hosted by South Korea.