PH Embassy Leads the ASEAN Committee in Stockholm in the Conduct of a Gender-Focused Virtual Forum, in Cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Top row from left: Heriot-Watt University in Malaysia Chair Datuk Yasmin Mahmood, Philippine Ambassador to Sweden and Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Stockholm Maria Lumen B. Isleta, ASEAN Secretariat for Socio- Cultural Community Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Ekkphab Phantavong, Thai Ambassador Kanchana Patarachoke. Middle row from left: Indonesian Ambassador Kamapradipta Isnomo, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Thailand Director Pannapa Na Nan, Vietnamese Ambassador of Phan Dang Duong, Malaysian Ambassador Datin Paduka Nur Ashikin Mohd Taib. Bottom row from left: Swedish Ambassador for Gender Equality Sofia Calltorp, Lao PDR Ambassador of Bounliep Houngvongsone, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process of Philippines Director Vanessa Vianca Pallarco, and National Commission on Violence Against Women of Indonesia Chair Andy Yentriyani. (Stockholm PE photo)

STOCKHOLM 21 March 2022 – The ASEAN Committee in Stockholm (ACS), under the leadership of the Philippine Embassy as Chair of the ACS, hosted a gender-focused virtual forum in cooperation with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs entitled “Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Leaving No Girl or Woman Behind, ASEAN’s Gender Outlook and Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy” 15 March 2022.

The forum was carried out in commemoration of International Women’s Month held this month. It aimed to discuss the challenges encountered, and the successes that have been achieved in efforts to narrow the gender gap and realize the relevant SDGs.

In her opening remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Maria Lumen B. Isleta highlighted the progress made by the international community in achieving the SDGs, including: increase in life expectancy at birth from 67.5 years old (1995) to 75.2 years old (2020); increase number of girls provided opportunities for primary and secondary education with only 129 million (2020) out of school compared to 208 million (1995); and lowered number of women married before turning 18 years old from 1 out of 4 (1995) to 1 out of 5 (2020). She noted the risk to the gains achieved in gender equality and women’s rights due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ambassador Isleta also emphasized the importance of “BREAKING THE BIAS,” a key theme in this year’s commemoration, as the international community works towards building a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

A video recording of the virtual forum may be viewed at the Embassy’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/110954093946509/videos/388357169330548. END

For more information, https://stockholmpe.dfa.gov.ph/