HANOI -- A special session within the framework of the 36th ASEAN Summit on women's empowerment opened on Friday afternoon via video conference, with discussions on measures to unleash women's potentials in the digital age and in context of COVID-19 epidemic impacts.

The ASEAN Leaders' Special Session on Women's Empowerment in Digital Age, chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc with the participation of New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi.

Noting that the existence of inequality and discrimination still hold back women's development motivation and their ability to contribute to the community, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said ASEAN countries need to take action to unleash women's potentials, create conditions for them to develop their strengths and contribute to the development process of each country and the ASEAN community, especially in the digital age.

Affirming that those women play an increasingly important role in the common effort of mankind to cope with the challenges that threaten the stability and development of countries, participating delegates noted that the COVID-19 epidemic and the fourth industrial revolution are posing many challenges for women.

The delegates agreed to promote ASEAN-led mechanisms and take advantage of cooperation with partners to promote programs, activities on women, peace, and security in ASEAN while improving the quality of life and development of women and children, facilitating women's access to digital technology in a favorable way.

In the efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 and tackle its impacts, women and girls should be placed in the center of policies of each country and the region.

Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said that as a region with the fastest Internet growth in the world, the ASEAN needs to take advantage of this to facilitate women's access to opportunities brought by digital technologies and integration internationally, thereby further promoting gender equality and enhancing women's stance.

The session, initiated by Vietnam, was held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.