Empowered: Women mentors, including Alissa Wahid (front, in wheel chair) of The Wahid Institute, and participants pose for a photograph at a speed-mentoring event at Canada House in Jakarta on March 6
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Canada, a leading country in women’s emancipation and gender equality, recently organized a mentoring event in Jakarta to empower young female professionals from various sectors.
Fourteen female leaders, both from Indonesia and abroad, shared their experiences and insights on how to overcome the barriers at workplaces and how women could better support each other during a speed-mentoring event held at Canada House in Jakarta.
The one-day event was jointly hosted on March 6 by the Embassy of Canada in Indonesia and the Mission of Canada to ASEAN to celebrate International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8 every year.
The leaders speaking at the event came from a variety of fields, including business, diplomacy and civil society. Among the top mentors were Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Marina Berg, Irish Ambassador to Indonesia Olivia Leslie, Shinta Kamdani of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alissa Wahid of The Wahid Institute, Vivien Kusumowardhani of SunLife Financial and celebrity chef Farah Quinn.
“We believe the full participation of women in any economy is essential to its competitiveness,” said Canadian Ambassador Peter MacArthur. “But we also know that women face unique barriers as they move through their careers. This is why we have brought together two generations of female professionals today to share insights, experience and advice.”
Ambassador of Canada to ASEAN Diedrah Kelly also highlighted the importance of veteran female professionals in sharing their guidance and expertise with the younger generations.
“We see the change when women’s voices are heard,” Kelly said. “We all see the benefits when women are empowered economically and that applies to everyone whether in the smallest village or an office of a CEO in the private sector.”
A women’s movement that promotes the participation of women at work has been growing in Asia in recent years.
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