The AWCF member-organizations were joined by representatives of government and development organizations from eight member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the AWCF Regional Forum on “ICT Applications in Enterprise Development: Building Networks and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in Co-operatives.” The event was held July 31-August 3, 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand, organized by the AWCF with the ASEAN Foundation and the Japan ASEAN Solidarity Fund. At least 55 participants, speakers, guests, and AWCF Secretariat staff were present in the event that aimed at 1) discussing and examining various enterprise development initiatives within the ASEAN member-states; 2) analyzing the initiatives’ implications on the empowerment of women and on poverty reduction in the region; and 3) exploring networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs especially with the application of ICT (information and communication technology) in their enterprises. The resource speakers shared their expertise and advocacies on women empowerment and entrepreneurship, and ICT development within the ASEAN region.

The first round of speakers had Ms Janet Wong of UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, Thailand; Mr. James George Chako, UNDP Asia-Pacific Development Information Program (APDIP), Thailand; and Ms See Ching Feng, Resonance Pte Ltd., Singapore. They spoke of the need to economically empower women that can be realized through conduct of entrepreneurship development programs, policy interventions and use of ICT, and engaging in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The next speakers talked of their experiences on good practices and learning on enterprise development programs and ICT applications: Ms Namrata Bali, Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), India; Mr. Stephen Salmon, ThaiCraft Association, Thailand; Ms Pansiri Jones, Ministry of Interior, Thailand; Ms Julia Hanah Zoo, eHomemakers, Malaysia; Mr. Mario Espeso, Labo Progressive Multi-purpose Co-op, Philippines; and Ms Yuyu Rahayu, Bina Desa, Indonesia.
 

The final set of speakers had Mr. Niko Atmadja, ASEAN Foundation, who gave information about the “ICT4D ASEAN Collaboratory Project”; and Mr. Francis Sarmiento III, M.D., UNDP-International Open Source Network ASEAN+3 Sub-Regional Node, who presented the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) that is being promoted by the UNDP International Open Source Network (IOSN).

By the Regional Forum’s end, the participants were unanimous in saying that they will further enhance entrepreneurship development in their respective organizations, especially through the use and application of ICT. Furthermore, they also saw the need to organize themselves to be able to link and network with other co-ops and entrepreneurs in the region so as to strengthen entrepreneurial initiatives for co-ops, especially for women members.