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Global women meet opens in Hanoi

HANOI: The 18th Global Summit of Women (GSW), informally called the “Davos for Women,” opened here on Thursday, capital of Vietnam, with over 900 participants from 72 countries and regions.

The theme of the meet is “Women and Asia - Driving the Global Economy.” It offers a window to the dynamic Asia-Pacific economies now leading the 21st century global marketplace, and an insight into the women driving business growth in this region as consumers and business leaders. At the opening ceremony, GSW president Irene Natividad said the summit opens a window to other people and other cultures. She welcomed the first-ever participation of Myanmar and Libyan delegates in the summit.

Two most important factors affecting the 21st century are Asia and women, she said. “The centre of gravity of business has shifted from the West, specifically from Europe and the United States to the East, specifically to the Asia-Pacific region led by China and India.”

“We will learn doing business in Asia-Pacific region. You learn about the women in this region through [the] report to be issued tomorrow by Master Card, you will meet the outstanding Asia- Pacific women business leaders. We break the stereotype that Asian women work, but they don’t lead,” she said.

“It is a structural shift of economic control from men to women,” she said, adding that in almost every country, women make up half, or almost half of the workforce, whether in the informal or formal sectors.

Women started small businesses at an unprecedented rate, she said, adding that 40.4 per cent of small businesses in the United States are owned by women, one-third in Europe and 20 per cent in China, 25 per cent in Japan. — Xinhua

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