This study on Women Political Participation and Leadership (WPPL) implements previously approved monitoring frameworks. It was designed with the intent to establish a comprehensive baseline on various dimensions of WPPL across the ASEAN region. Thus, it sets out concrete evidence of progress in women’s political participation whilst identifying the persistent challenges that women still face in the region.

During the second half of 2022, national information and data was generated around 18 agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in each of the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS). The chosen approach for the national-level WPPL studies was to have AMS country-teams composed of both nominated national experts and ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) focal points. The national experts were technically responsible for producing national WPPL reports closely guided by the ACW focal points. A team of one senior M&E expert and one senior gender expert consolidated the data and data analysis in the 10 national WPPL studies into this regional WPPL study. Throughout the study process further technical support was provided by key experts from the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI). The WPPL study process has been closely guided by the Poverty Eradication and Gender Division (PEGD) of the ASEAN Secretariat.