![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asianinny.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Women-of-Asia-at-Work.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n**Program to be followed by networking reception**
\nFor all the economic growth across much of Asia, women there have had comparatively low rates of formal employment, especially in managerial roles. Asian women often face cultural and corporate barriers to independently-earned, sustainable livelihoods, and are often encouraged to retire after marriage. The situation across Asia, however, varies widely. The Philippines, a country ranked 114th in human development, is currently ranked by the World Economic Forum as number 5 in the world for female equality, far outpacing its closest neighbors. Conversely, Japan, a highly developed country, has a poor history of female inclusion in the labor market. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made bringing women into the workforce integral to his economic reforms, referencing a study suggesting Japan could increase its GDP by 15% if it better used its most underutilized resource \u2014 women. Abe has stated that creating a comfortable work environment for women \u201c…is no longer a matter of choice for Japan. It is instead a matter of the greatest urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n