Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK
(AWEN)
VIETNAM
Category:
Lobbying and Advocacy
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Provision of Services
Governance
Membership strategy
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
2007
• The initiative to establish an ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network was announced by Viet
Nam at the 6th ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) Meeting (Nov 2007 , Thailand)
2010
• VWEC developed the Proposal for AWEN’s establishment and the Terms of Reference ToR.
2010-2012
2012
2014
• Got ideas and comments from all ASMs at the ACW meetings to revise the ToR.
• In the 11th ACW meeting (October 2012, Lao PDR), ACW has finalised and adopted
the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network
• AWEN Launching workshop was organized in April 2014 in Hanoi, Vietnam
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Launching workshop of AWEN, Hanoi, 4/2014
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
What is AWEN?
ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network is a regional
network of national women entrepreneurs’
associations/organizations; enterprises and/or other
economic entities owned or managed by women in
all economic sectors in the ASEAN region
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
Vision
Mission
• “To be the leading organization in
ASEAN for the promotion,
development, and empowerment of
women entrepreneurs”
• To improve the capacity of ASEAN
women entrepreneurs and boost
ASEAN women entrepreneurs’
development and networking
through the Network’s activities.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
Purposes:
• To create a regional forum for ASEAN women entrepreneurs for sharing
information, knowledge and experience;
• To assist ASEAN women entrepreneurs to improve their business management
and skills;
• To support ASEAN women entrepreneurs’ better access to financial
institutions science and technology, trainings, market and business
opportunities;
• To support ASEAN women starting their businesses;
• To link with other international and regional networks/organizations of
women entrepreneurs.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
Organizational Structure:
• AWEN has Coordination Board, Chairperson, Country Coordinators (Focal
points), and AWEN Secretariat.
• The first Chair of AWEN is Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) for
the 02-year term (4/2014-4/2016 ) and the Role of AWEN Chair shall be
rotating for every two years among ASEAN Member States.
Financing:
• The Network should mobilize funds to sustain its work from the contribution
of its members, Dialogue Partners or other donors.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative:
Organizational Structure of AWEN
AWEN CHAIRPERSON
AWEN
SECRETARIAT
COORDINATION BOARD
( 10 COUNTRY COORDINATORS )
AWEN MEMBERS
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Brief description of the initiative (Main fields of activities):
Improve
Institutional
capacity
Capacity
building for
WEs/ WEs
Associations/
Organizations
AWEN
Researches/S
tudies/ policy
recommenda
tions
Annual ASEAN
women
entrepreneurs
forum
Promote Trade
& Investment;
partnership
with partners
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
• Establishing and Strengthening institutional capacity of AWEN
AWEN Secretariat:
AWEN Coordination
Board:
• Set up since April 2014, based in VWEC Office.
• Tasks: It helps AWEN Chairperson (VWEC) in keeping
with AWEN Members; Sharing information to AWEN
Members, Coordination Board; preparing
documents/arranging logistics to organize the 2nd
meeting of Coordination Board.
• Set up with 10 Members which are
organizations/Business Associations of women/WEs in
ASEAN Member States (01 Member from 01 ASM)
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
• AWEN has developed its partnership with other organizations
OECD
TAF
AWEN
Other
Partners
ACTI
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
• AWEN has developed its partnership with other organizations
ACTI
OECD
TAF
• The ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI)
Project/US AID supported for the Launching workshop of AWEN
(April, 2014 Hanoi, Vietnam) and the 2nd AWEN Coordination Board
Meeting (Nov 2014, Bangkok, Thailand)
• Proposal on “Supporting Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in
Southeast Asia”. The 1st activity of this project is to Study on Women’s
Entrepreneurship Policies in Southeast Asia. The Report will also
provide policy recommendations to SEA Goverments. (The Project is in
the process of raising funds for its activities)
• Develop the AWARE project (Advancing Women for the ASEAN
Region’s Economic Empowerment) to promote equitable and effective
economic participation of women in the ASEAN region by increasing
understanding of the barriers to the growth of women-owned small
and medium enterprises and sharing findings and policy
recommendations at a Regional Forum.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
o AWEN Members have been linking together and expanded their Network
through out the region;
o AWEN Members had more opportunities to be enhanced capacity; to
participate in regional Fora/Workshop and Dialogues;
o Representatives of AWEN was invited to join Meetings of ASEAN Committee
on Woman (ACW), ASEAN SMEs Working Group, etc..and having opportunities
to take part in dialogues with Representatives from Government Agencies and
to make recommendations.
(13th ACW Meeting in Yangon, Myanmar, Oct 2014; Regional Policy Dialogue on Empowering
Women Entrepreneurs to Advance AEC Development in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 2014; PublicPrivate Dialogue for "ASEAN Small and Medium Enterprises Strategic Action Plan (2016-2025)“ in
Siem Riep, Cambodia, Nov 2014, etc)
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
•
-
Priorities/Programmes in the first term (2014-2016)
Setting up AWEN Secretariat and Coordination Board (done);
Building up AWEN’s regulations, Logo, email group (on going);
Strengthening institutional capacity of AWEN (on going);
Membership development (on going);
Cooperating with partners to implement studies/researches relating to
Women Entrepreneurs in ASEAN region;
Organizing the 1st Regional Women Entrepreneurs Forum (March 2015)
Implementing activities to promote trade and investment of women-led
enterprises;
Building up Database on WEs in ASEAN;
Other activities to promote women entrepreneurship and enhance capacity
for AWEN Members.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
Summary of Key results:
Main Challenges:
- Membership & Funding: In the initial phase of AWEN: It is difficult to develop
Membership/collect Membership Fee and raising funds for AWEN activities;
- Lack of equipments and facilities to support for AWEN Secretariat activities;
- Website of the Network: Due to the rotation of Chairmanship every two years,
a website for AWEN seems not be feasible because of administration problem.
AWEN is still looking for a solution for this issue.
- Communications:
+ between Country Coordinators with AWEN Secretariat sometimes are
not in time. It leads to the delay of some activities’ implementation.
+ between each Country Coordinators with AWEN members in AMSs
- Capacity of Country Coordinators/AWEN Secretariat (limited knowledge and
skills)
- Responsibility and commitment of each Country Coordinators.
Establishment of
ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ NETWORK (AWEN)
•
Supporting documents
Information about Launching workshop of AWEN:
http://www.asean.org/news/asean-secretariat-news/item/asean-launches-women-entrepreneurshipnetwork
http://www.usaid.gov/vietnam/press-releases/new-asean-women-entrepreneurs-network-promotes-women
http://www.moit.gov.vn/en/News/579/asean-women-entrepreneurs-network-.aspx
Download ToR of AWEN:
http://www.asean.org/resources/publications/asean-publications/item/terms-of-reference-of-the-aseanwomen-entrepreneurs-network
•
Contact details:
AWEN Chairperson: Mrs.Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh
Email: minhntt2000@gmail.com
•
AWEN Secretariat
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao
Address : 6th Flr, VCCI Building, No 9 Dao Duy Anh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel
: 84 - 435742022 ext 339; Fax: 84 - 435742023/ 35746937
HP
: 84 - 915 570909
Email: phuongthao171@gmail.com