2021 Asia Pacific Social Innovation Summit –The Connection between Gender and Social Innovation
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This article is part of the 21st issue of LEAP — Voices of Youth e-letter. Subscribe now.
The grand opening of the 2021 “Asia Pacific Social Innovation Summit” will take place in April in Taipei. This year, the summit is organized by the Foundation of Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (FWRPD) and will bring a focus on gender perspectives to the conference. In response to the pandemic, the summit will also be broadcast live online. Don’t miss this opportunity if you are interested in social innovation or care about gender equality.
This article is based on interviews with FWRPD coordinators Hui-wen and Wan-chi regarding the following issues: How will a women’s organization focusing on gender issues host a social innovation summit? What new would gender issues bring to social innovation?
Revisit social innovation from a gender perspective
The main title of this year’s summit is “Investing in Asia”, with “Creating a New Era of Sustainability and Resilience” as the subtitle. Hui-wen stated that the design of the titles has three major objectives. The first goal is to share Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 with other countries through the summit. The second goal is to take the summit as a platform, boosting interactions and connections within social innovation ecosystems.
The third is to integrate the concept of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the agenda, which includes economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection. “We hope to maximize the spirit of SDGs through social innovation activities.”, Hui-wen said firmly.
Every year, different organizations take turns to organize the Social Enterprise Summit, because different organizations bring different aspects into focus. Previous summits have brought about discussions regarding media, public welfare, and experience with business incubators. The selection of FWRPD as the organizer is precisely an effort to re-examine social innovation from a gender perspective, in hopes of expanding gender awareness to different sectors.
Building a bridge and facilitating a conversation between the summit and society
Since the start of the pandemic, the world has become more aware of the importance of sustainable development and inclusive growth, instead of just focusing on the accumulation of corporate wealth.
In the past, the focus of investment has always been on the return of economic value. However, the Social Innovation Summit hopes to introduce environmental and social values in an attempt to introduce financial flow into social issues. If the financial flow can directly circulate among social issues, then public welfare organizations will no longer need to wait for donations passively.
FWRPD focuses not only on the investors but also on the empowerment of “the investees,” so that the investees will have the capability to offer action plans covering both inclusivity and sustainability to attract investments.
“Gender issues can be integrated into every aspect in society.” Wan-chi states. The organizing unit becomes a bridge connecting the summit and the communities, to refine gender awareness and bring up more possibilities. Hui-wen said further: “Previously regarded as staying at a spiritual dimension, gender issues could be expanded into concrete actions through the summit.”
Women, youth, and local groups inspire the power in innovation
The images of “social innovation” are usually depicted as an elite community. This year’s summit, however, will include women, youths, and local groups that the foundation gives close attention to.
For example, the “social innovation tour” debuting this year will connect with taxi drivers, who are familiar with communities most, to introduce social innovation organizations with local characteristics to visitors. Wan-chi believes that social innovation is not a domain exclusively for the wealthy and the upper class, nor even always a national issue. The experience of women, youths, and unique or non-mainstream groups may lead to the discovery of new insights into local issues and lead to become the new stars of social innovation.
Each of the agenda items this year will be associated with a gender-related organization or a female representative, to incorporate more gender concepts. For example, this year’s agenda includes the “New Female Immigrant Entrepreneurship Presentations”, and the “Gender Influence Acceleration Project”. In addition, the Homemakers United Foundation and Sunnyfounder have been invited to speak about the importance of green energy. All the above demonstrate the social consideration and environmental conservation aspects of the summit this year.
The vision of the 2021 Asia Pacific Social Innovation Summit is to expand the energy of social innovation from the elite class to a wider community and to establish more implementation possibilities for social and environmental issues based on innovative concepts.
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- Official Website: https://apsis.tw/
- Ticketing Information: https://www.accupass.com/event/2101060651181343728216
Also in This Issue:
Gender Observations of Social Enterprises in Taiwan
Gender equality must be discussed consciously, to have more models for future female entrepreneurs
The Third Way Between Workplace and Family -Social Enterprises that Help Mothers Return to Work
Breaking the pressure on care work and unleashing women’s potential to achieve a flexible and friendly labor market.
Author: Yi Lien
Working at Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development in Taiwan. Interested in gender and feminist issues, LGBTI rights, and education for all. Trying to not only be an activist but doer.
