Initiated by Viet Nam, the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurship Network was established to help regional businesswomen exchange experiences, develop and propose initiatives to promote economic and trade activities to enhance gender quality. — Photo courtesy of USAID

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launched a regional network of businesswomen at a ceremony held in Ha Noi on April 22.

Named ASEAN Women Entrepreneurship Network (AWEN), it aims to help women exchange experiences, develop and propose initiatives to promote economic and trade activities to enhance gender equality, and empower and strengthen entrepreneurship skills for women in the ASEAN community. Initiated by Viet Nam, the network would also create a favourable environment for enterprises headed by women, and raise awareness and support women's entrepreneurship in the region.

The establishment of AWEN is one of activities planned in the ASEAN Committee on Women Work Plan 2011-15 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2011-15.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, chairman of Viet Nam's Women Entrepreneur Council, will be the chair of AWEN for the first two-year term covering 2014 and 2015. The post will be rotated among the ASEAN member countries. — VNS