Tangerang, November 25, 2025 — The Regional Forum of Women South East Asia was held from November 24 to 25, 2025, in Tangerang, featuring representatives from the IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Indonesia. This forum serves as a strategic arena for women workers in Southeast Asia to share experiences, identify common challenges, and outline collective actions to strengthen the women’s movement in the industrial sector.
Focusing on issues such as wage gaps, maternity protection, the prevention of gender-based violence in the workplace, industrial digitalization, and increasing women’s representation in union leadership, the forum facilitated in-depth discussions grounded in real field experiences.
Response from Ira Laila Budiman (CEMWU)
CEMWU representative Ira Laila Budiman expressed high appreciation for the forum, considering this momentum crucial for consolidating the women workers’ movement.
“This forum is not just a discussion space, but a place to strengthen collective courage. The challenges faced by women workers in Southeast Asia are relatively similar, making cross-border cooperation essential,” said Ira.
Ira emphasized that CEMWU will continue to encourage women leaders to take on leadership roles.
“CEMWU’s commitment is clear: to open up as many opportunities as possible for women to grow and lead. We want to ensure that women’s voices are not only heard but also become part of the strategic decisions of the organization,” she added.
Joint Agenda with IndustriALL: Towards Real Equality
During the forum, IndustriALL affiliates agreed on several strategic agendas:
- Encouraging full implementation of ILO Convention 190 to eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work.
- Strengthening women’s participation in union structures, including leadership quotas.
- Developing gender-sensitive labor policies, particularly concerning fair wages, reproductive health, and job security.
- Enhancing women’s capacities through regional leadership training and joint learning programs.
Final Session: Signing Commitment of the Southeast Asia Women’s Movement
As a conclusion to the forum, all delegates participated in a joint commitment signing session. The commitment document includes:
- The willingness to strengthen solidarity among women workers in Southeast Asia.
- The determination to continue advocating for policies that protect and empower women.
- A promise to build a sustainable regional cooperation network.
- A commitment to enhance education, training, and leadership for women in unions.
This signing underscores that the women’s workers’ movement does not stop at discussions, but continues with coordinated, concrete actions.
The Regional Forum of Women South East Asia 2025 demonstrates that solidarity among women workers in this region is becoming stronger and more directed. Support from IndustriALL Indonesia affiliates, along with the progressive voice of Ira Laila Budiman from CEMWU, serves as an important foundation for building a fairer, safer, and more equal work environment for all women workers.
