Opening the meeting, PPWE Chair Anita Peña acknowledged the forum’s progress since its establishment in 2011 and highlighted the need for swift, coordinated action of translating commitments into concrete action. “The barriers to women’s economic participation are not abstract, they affect productivity, innovation, and growth across our economies,” Peña said. Across APEC, women hold just 22 percent of ministerial posts and 28 percent of parliamentary seats, and continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care work. “Women’s full economic participation fuels growth, drives innovation, and strengthens resilience,” said Rhea Crisologo Hernando, analyst with the APEC Policy Support Unit. The meeting also emphasized strengthening the care economy, recognizing that policies and investments in caregiving infrastructure are essential for enabling women’s participation in the labor force.