Investing In Women

12/08/2026

When men actively engage in gender equality conversations, we create greater momentum for change.

research finds that the majority of young, urban men in Southeast Asia support gender equality across economic and caregiving roles. But far fewer of them are practicing gender equality in their daily lives.

That’s why Investing in Women partners are encouraging men to think, reflect, and share how they can practice and advocate for gender equality at home, at work, and within their community.

In the Philippines, Good Return, Append Inc. , Oxfam Pilipinas and The Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA) mobilise male workplace champions from microfinance institutions and social enterprises for gender-equal sharing of care and economic roles. In Communities of Practice (CoP), men share how gender equality benefits them, their workplaces, and their families.

In Indonesia, IBCWE's Lelaki Turut Serta (LTS) program brings together male workplace champions to discuss their role in advancing workplace gender equality. Through conversations on topics such as women's leadership, participants reflect on how they can promote workplace environments where everyone can thrive and lead. CoPs led by Magdalene and Kopernik feature similar initiatives among men in diverse communities.

In Vietnam, TUVA-Nhà Nhiều Cột and ECUE-VGEM engage men from the “sandwich generation” – who shoulder caregiving responsibilities as well as income-earning pressure. Through digital community pages and podcast dialogues, our partners invite men to share how they are negotiating gendered roles and moving toward equality in their daily lives.

These initiatives show that men are ready for gender equality. And when men see themselves as part of the effort, we achieve more inclusive and sustainable progress.

Explore our partners’ work here:

➡️ IBCWE’s LTS program: https://ibcwe.id/ibcwe-lelaki-turut-serta-coffee-chat-male-leaders-reflect-on-womens-leadership/
➡️ Oxfam – ISEA’s EmpowerHer project: https://www.facebook.com/PRESENTCoalition
➡️ Magdalene: https://www.facebook.com/magdaleneindonesia
➡️ Kopernik: https://www.facebook.com/thekopernik
➡️ Nha Nhieu Cot: https://www.facebook.com/NhaNhieuCot
➡️ VGEM: https://www.facebook.com/VGEMvietnam

10/08/2026

The best policies begin by listening to the people they are designed to serve.

Evidence and lived experiences together provide a stronger foundation for policies that support women, families, and communities. Watch the reel to discover why women's voices are essential to shaping more inclusive economic and care policies.

Explore our and Future Demand for Care (FDC) studies through the links below.

📖 SNAPS 2024 Philippines Factsheet
https://bit.ly/4bEGNyAw

📖 FDC Philippines Factsheet
https://bit.ly/4xnueAa

05/08/2026

🍼 ? Breastfeeding support extends beyond health. According to the World Health Organization, investing in breastfeeding contributes to stronger economies by supporting healthier families, enabling women's workforce participation, and improving long-term social and economic outcomes.

That's why workplace support matters.

Breastfeeding facilities, employer-supported childcare, flexible work arrangements, and carers' leave all help create workplaces where women can continue to participate and thrive while balancing their care responsibilities.

Investing in Women works with businesses to implement GEARS – a workplace gender equality assessment tailored for and by the Southeast Asia market. Through GEARS, 73.5% of assessed companies, representing 625,000 employees across the region, provide benefits such as breastfeeding facilities, employer-supported childcare, or carers' leave.

This World Breastfeeding Week, explore how IW and our partners are supporting employers through practical tools, evidence, and guidance to create more family-supportive workplaces.



Reference:
https://bit.ly/4xpPB3W

04/08/2026

Advancing workplace gender equality starts with understanding where opportunities for change exist.

Investing in Women works with the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) to deliver the Gender Equality Assessment, Results, and Strategies (GEARS) tool helping businesses in the Philippines identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities to strengthen workplace gender equality. To date, PBCWE has delivered 35 workplace gender equality assessments, supporting businesses with over 400,000 employees to turn insights into action.

Congratulations to PwC Acceleration Center Manila on completing the GEARS assessment and taking action towards advancing a more inclusive workplace. 🎉

🎯 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

PBCWE proudly delivered the Gender Equality Assessment, Results, and Strategies (GEARS) for PwC Acceleration Center Manila helping their team assess and strengthen workplace inclusion practices.

"Being part of PwC AC Manila's GEARS journey showed me how a structured assessment can turn inclusion commitments into meaningful action. It helped us build on our strengths while identifying opportunities to do more," shares Angelie Cabalfin, Tax Senior Manager and Gender Equality Pillar Lead.

Through GEARS, PwC AC Manila gained a clearer lens on key areas like data-informed talent decisions, inclusive leadership, disability inclusion, balanced representation, and support for working parents reinforcing why regular assessment matters in building a workplace where everyone can thrive.

👉 To learn more about PBCWE and our work with industry-leading companies, sign up here: https://pbcwe.com.ph/pbcwe-connects

Investing In Women

30/07/2026

Let us tell you about the journey of a platform that has turned into a community for action.

Established in 2024 as a digital fanpage, Nhà Nhiều Cột (House with Many Pillars) has grown to reach over 10 million people through 300 posts about gender equality, generating 900,000 engagements.

What started as a communications platform has become:
💡 A companion of young people in the journey of understanding, rethinking, and negotiating gender norms
🤝 A safe space to share stories, perspectives, and experiences without judgment
🌱 A community where people connect, inspire one another, and turn reflection into action

Hear directly from the people behind Nhà Nhiều Cột and what the journey of growth has meant for them!

30/07/2026

Businesses in Vietnam are taking evidence-based steps to strengthen workplace gender equality.

In partnership with Investing in Women, ECUE - Trung tâm BSA works with businesses in Vietnam to implement GEARS – a workplace gender equality assessment tailored for the Southeast Asia market.

GEARS enables organisations to identify strengths, address hidden gaps, and develop practical action to build more gender-equal, inclusive workplaces. GEARS helps businesses move beyond good intentions – to embed gender equality into business operations and sustainability strategies.

Congratulations to Wellspring Saigon, WeCare247, Lac Dia Cooperative, Da Nang Water Supply JSC, Ninh Hoa Urban JSC, TTC AgriS, and Biti’s – for completing GEARS, the first step in moving from commitment to action!

Follow Thúc đẩy Bình đẳng Giới tại Nơi làm việc ở Việt Nam to learn more about their journeys!

29/07/2026

Throwback to a meaningful dialogue on how care systems and social norms shape women’s economic opportunities in Indonesia!

In collaboration with the Australian Embassy - Jakarta, Indonesia, IW brought stakeholders together to share insights from two IW flagship studies (FDC) and the ( ). Senior representatives from Kementerian Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan Anak RI, IBCWE (Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment), The The SMERU Research Institute and UN Women were also invited in a panel discussion on the research findings and implications for policy and practice.

The evidence is clear: quality, accessible and affordable care does not just support families – they also help to redistribute care responsibilities, expand opportunities for women, and strengthen inclusive economic growth.

Eager to learn more? Check out this video on the intersection of care and social norms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrpR-XK_xis.

27/07/2026

Women's economic equality accelerates when policy and practice work together.

Congratulations to the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment on its induction into the SDG Stakeholders' Chamber, led by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development(DEPDev).

This milestone reflects the importance of bringing together government, business, and civil society to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through its partnerships with DEPDev and PBCWE, Investing in Women supports both gender-responsive policy reforms and workplace practices to expand opportunities for women in the economy.

When enabling policies become business practice, progress towards the SDGs is accelerated and development gains become more sustainable for women, workplaces, and communities.

23/07/2026

💡A growing number of young Filipinos show strong gender-equal attitudes – but many still face barriers in putting beliefs to practice.

Our study reveals there is a notable gap between people’s attitudes and behaviours on gender equality in economic and caregiving roles. For example, although 84% of women and 82% of men surveyed believe childcare should be shared equally, only 67-69% are actually sharing childcare responsibilities equally with their partners.

One reason behind this gap could be that the majority of young, urban Filipinos underestimate the prevalence of gender-equal attitudes and behaviours in society. This misperception is most pronounced around women’s leadership, where men underestimated their peers’ support by 12%, and gender equality in jobs, where women underestimated support by 14%.

This misperception can hold people back from practising gender equality. By highlighting positive examples of gender equality in the community, we help clarify that norms are already shifting for the better – and encourage people to adopt and advocate for more gender-equal practices in their own lives.

📖 Read the SNAPS report – with country factsheet available for the Philippines to explore the data in depth! https://investinginwomen.asia/knowledge/snaps-2024-understanding-gender-norms-across-indonesia-malaysia-the-philippines-vietnam/