NEW YORK — While more women in Southeast Asia are gaining visibility in business, government and civil society, many continue to face barriers in reaching positions of real influence and decision-making power.
This challenge took center stage during the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York City, where organizers launched the Human and Environmental Rights Due Diligence (HERDD) platform, a new initiative aimed at empowering more women to take on leadership roles across the region.
The program was introduced as a leadership accelerator designed to strengthen support systems for women through mentorship, visibility, networking and shared insights. Organizers said the initiative seeks to help both emerging and established women leaders navigate real-world leadership challenges while expanding their influence in Southeast Asia and beyond.
The HERDD initiative was spearheaded by three Filipinas — HERDD chief curator Ivanna Aguiling-Dela Torre, Women’s Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI) UN Relations Office director Merly Barlaan, and WOW founder Isa Buencamino-Agbayani.
Diplomats, representatives from civil society organizations, members of the private sector and delegates from the Philippine mission to the United Nations also attended the launch.
Organizers said the platform was created in response to a long-standing regional issue in which women continue to contribute significantly to communities and institutions but remain underrepresented in spaces where major decisions and power structures are shaped.
Sourced online by Tracy Cabrera/ia/xf
