The Gender Dimension in ASEAN–Canada Relations: A Beacon of Hope

Authoritarian and exclusionary leadership is gaining global momentum, including in the US. ASEAN and Canada should seize this present opportunity to reaffirm their mutual leadership and deepen collaboration in championing democracy and gender equity. The real test, however, lies in whether ASEAN can translate its rhetoric into legitimate influence, and how Canada, which has positioned itself as a champion of these values, can help.

Recent changes in global politics have propelled Canada to reassert its global position by reaffirming Canada’s leadership on human rights and progressive values, diversifying and deepening Canadian international economic and partnership development, and reinforcing collective security globally. Strengthening the gender dimension in the ASEAN-Canada relations offers a strategic, cross-cutting solution to advance all three goals simultaneously.

ASEAN is a strategic partner for Canada’s global vision: ASEAN countries jointly represent Canada’s fourth biggest trade partner. The long-standing relationship was formally established in 1977 and has since evolved into a Strategic Partnership, formalised in 2023. As highlighted by experts, this partnership is not solely economic — it is anchored in shared commitments to democratic values and gender equality. Canada contributes to the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund, which focuses on inclusive governance. Canada supports ASEAN’s efforts in disaster management, incorporating a strong emphasis on gender equality and integrated approaches to climate change. Joint Leaders’ Statements continuously emphasise the alignment between Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, indicating a broader strategic congruence that encompasses shared values beyond mere economic interests. Yet, even on the economic side, Canada’s Progressive Trade Agenda (PTA), provides a powerful entry point for mainstream social justice into economic and bilateral trade engagement.  

Women’s empowerment is a shared, foundational objective of both Canada and ASEAN. In practice, however, Canada’s commitment is far more evident, while ASEAN’s remains largely aspirational. Canada has demonstrated its commitment through various initiatives, including the CAD8.5 million “Empowering Women for Sustainable Peace” programme, which supports the ASEAN Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and aligns with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP). Canada actively supports the work of the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC). Adopted in September 2021, the ASEAN Gender Mainstreaming Strategic Framework (AGMSF) 2021-2025 calls for the integration of gender perspectives across ASEAN’s political, economic, and socio-cultural pillars. The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC), one of the three exclusive ASEAN-accredited joint business organisations, established a Women’s Leadership Forum in 2018. This commitment also transpired through Canada’s support of the 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit on 23 August 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Yet, there’s still more to be done.

Beyond symbolism, advancing gender equality can unlock labour potential, boost economic growth, and support regional stability — making it beneficial to ASEAN-Canada cooperation.

As ASEAN and Canada design the future of their collaboration in 2025 with the Canada-ASEAN Business Forum on 24-25 September, and the expected adoption of a free-trade agreement text by the end of the year, they must not miss the opportunity to further promote this agenda in their joint and respective efforts.

Doing so sends a strong message of coherence for Canada’s global leadership. During its 2018 G7 Presidency, Canada established the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) to advance women’s empowerment in global economies. It reaffirmed its commitment to these objectives while assuming the Presidency again this year. At the most recent GEAC Meeting, the adopted theme “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures” underlined the intertwined pursuit of constructively breaking down gender barriers and building brighter futures for humanity.

On ASEAN’s end, strengthening these shared values with Canada directly supports advancing its goals as expressed in the recently adopted 20-year ASEAN Vision and its associated strategic plans, which give greater prominence to gender equality in decision-making processes compared to antecedent documents.

Yet, ASEAN faces significant challenges in achieving these agendas due to the disconnect between rhetoric and reality, uneven institutional capacity, and a lack of policy coherence across ASEAN. According to the ASEAN Gender Outlook 2024, women hold only 22 per cent of seats in national parliaments. Women continue to bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work, spending more than twice as much time as men on these responsibilities.

Policies addressing the gender pay gap remain limited, and the 2024 Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) score of 39 signals a high level of gender discrimination in the region’s social institutions compared to the global average (29) and OECD average (15). These challenges have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which shuttered many small businesses, particularly in lower-income countries such as Cambodia, where 65 per cent of MSMEs are women-led. These trends reveal persistent structural and policy barriers that constrain women’s ability to navigate male-dominated governance regimes across the region. These heighten the urgency for inclusive governance rooted in gender and social justice — a moment of reckoning.

Now is not just an opportunity — it is a responsibility. Opportunities lie ahead: across Southeast Asia, feminist groups and movements are already at the forefront of engaging in sustainable and equitable livelihoods, such as challenging extractive industries that promote gradual decimation and displacement of communities in the Mekong Region. Calls have been rising for feminine leadership notably through the opportunity to appoint ASEAN’s first female Secretary-General, in light of ASEAN’s first Declaration on the Advancement of Women and Article 11 of the ASEAN Charter, which identifies gender equality as one of the key considerations in the selection of the ASEAN Secretary-General. At the national level, governments must translate commitments into concrete laws and policies that genuinely level the economic playing field for women. In 2018, McKinsey estimated that gender equality could unlock up to USD 4.5 trillion in additional GDP for Asia-Pacific by 2025, while the OECD reports that discriminatory social institutions cost ASEAN around USD 200 billion. Global north donors must invest in women — through training, support, and incentives — to expand their role in peacekeeping and drive stronger, more inclusive global peacebuilding.

Beyond symbolism, advancing gender equality can unlock labour potential, boost economic growth, and support regional stability — making it beneficial to ASEAN-Canada cooperation. Through bold leadership and principled collaboration, ASEAN and Canada can chart a path toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future.

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