The ACW is mandated to oversee and coordinate ASEAN’s cooperation on promoting gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The ACW comprises senior officials representing the national women’s machineries and ministries in-charge of the empowerment of women and girls. The ACW supports and reports to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Women (AMMW) who sets the strategic policy direction on ASEAN’s regional cooperation on gender equality and women’s empowerment. ACW-ACWC Consultation Meeting serves as a platform for the ACW and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) to synergise their efforts on areas of mutual interest, as well as purposively facilitate partnership on complementing issues such as gender mainstreaming, women, peace and security, gender and climate change, and non-gender stereotyping, among others.
ACW Plus Three is an annual meeting of the ACW with the Plus Three Countries namely China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and serves as a regular platform for exchanging policies and good practices on the empowerment of women and girls.