The National Productivity Secretariat (NPS), Sri Lanka, and the APO Secretariat held the multicountry Workshop on Policies for Gender Equality and Competitive Female Labor online on 24–26 September 2025. The program brought together 23 participants from five APO member economies and four resource persons from Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka to promote understanding of the importance of gender equality and female labor force participation (FLFP) and share practical knowledge for establishing agencies promoting gender equality and FLFP.

The workshop combined expert presentations on the importance of gender equality and FLFP, their links to national economic competitiveness and productivity, and their challenges and constraints. Case studies from Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka provided insights into fostering gender equality and FLFP.

The project successfully enhanced participants’ knowledge and facilitated discussions among resource persons and participants to generate policy recommendations for the promotion of gender equality and FLFP in APO members. These policy recommendations included legal reforms and implementation improvement, supportive infrastructure, education and skills enhancement, and improvements to workplace and organizational culture.