EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Women in ASEAN’s coastal areas face multidimensional challenges that are exacerbated by gender disparities, hindering poverty eradication efforts in their communities. Climate change threatens the livelihoods of coastal populations, which comprise a substantial part of ASEAN’s total population. Women will be disproportionately affected. Women’s immense contributions to relevant sectors in coastal areas are undervalued and women are underrepresented as leaders in coastal development. While ASEAN has recognised the importance of women’s leadership for inclusive development in coastal areas, ASEAN-level initiatives have been sporadic and have not focused on mainstreaming gender equality in various key
sectors.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To accelerate women leadership to poverty eradication in rural coastal area, ASEAN should:

● Strengthening existing women’s leadership initiatives by emphasising women in coastal area,
● Enhancing work to understand the specific needs of women in coastal areas,
● Developing a specific development framework for coastal areas,
● Pushing for the greater involvement of women in coastal areas by encouraging community- driven initiatives that cater to their specific needs and aspirations, and
● Further integrating initiatives addressing climate change, gender disparity, and poverty in an integrated and cohesive
manner.