Asia-Pacific
Women’s stories, reporting, leadership and perspectives connected to Asia-Pacific.
Latest from Asia-Pacific
20 published stories
17 Changemakers Shortlisted for Singapore’s Front & Female Awards 2026
From artificial intelligence and clean technology to women’s health, education and social impact, 17 leaders and founders have been shortlisted for the Front & Female Awards Singapore 2026. The finalists were selected from more than 150 nominations.
Women’s Monthly Heart-Rate Patterns Are a Research Clue, Not a Diagnosis
An analysis of long-term smartwatch records found multiday heart-rate rhythms in 70% of participants, with monthly patterns more common among women. The finding could guide future research, but it does not prove a menstrual cause or justify treatment based on a wearable graph.
Mary Gaudron Changed Who Could Interpret Australia’s Constitution
Mary Gaudron, the first woman appointed to Australia’s High Court, has died aged 83. Her career linked a breakthrough for women in law with decisions on Indigenous land rights, discrimination and the dignity of work.
A Tesla App Became an Instrument of Coercive Control in an Australian Conviction
Court records show a Sydney woman’s former partner remotely restricted her car’s speed, changed its temperature and controlled access after separation. The case exposes a safety gap in connected products designed around a single powerful account owner.
Australia’s ‘My Feed, My Way’ Plan Would Make Algorithmic Recommendations a Choice
Draft legislation would require platforms to offer users a non-personalised feed and to assess foreseeable harms. The plan could reduce exposure to misogyny and eating-disorder content, but its effectiveness will depend on defaults, enforcement and limits on ministerial power.
New Zealand’s Public-Service Walkout Puts Pay and Service Cuts Into the Election
Nearly 10,000 public servants stopped work for several hours after rejecting wage offers they say fall behind living costs. Because women are heavily represented in public and community services, the dispute links household pay with the capacity of government systems people rely on.
Southeast Asia’s Girl Groups Are Exporting Identity, Not Imitation
BINI, no na, 4EVE and DOLLA are gaining audiences beyond their home markets by combining global pop formats with Filipino, Indonesian, Thai and Malaysian languages and sounds. Their rise challenges an industry that often treats Asian pop as shorthand for only three countries.
Melissa Donnelly Wants Workers Inside Australia’s AI Decisions
Australia’s new top union official says employees deserve a voice in how and when artificial intelligence enters their workplaces. Her position rejects both a managerial free-for-all and a blanket veto, placing negotiation at the centre of technological change.
Australia’s September Payment Rise Helps Single Parents—but Deeming Rates Also Climb
Parenting Payment Single will rise by A$20.90 a fortnight from 20 September as benefits are indexed. Higher assumed investment returns may offset part of the gain for some recipients with savings.
Australia’s Women Start Businesses—Then Hit a ‘Scaling Cliff’
A new national index says women lead 42% of sole-trader businesses but only 7% of large companies. The gap shifts the policy question from starting firms to gaining the capital, customers and networks required to grow them.
Destry Damayanti Becomes Indonesia’s First Woman Central-Bank Governor
Parliament has completed Destry Damayanti’s appointment to lead Bank Indonesia. Her historic elevation comes with immediate pressure to defend the rupiah, support growth and demonstrate that coordination with government will not compromise monetary independence.
Anaya Bangar Says Australia Gave Her Back a Cricket Future
Cricket Australia has opened a conditional route for transgender Indian player Anaya Bangar to pursue elite women’s cricket. Her case exposes sharply different international rules—and the need to discuss competitive fairness without stripping an athlete of dignity.
Australia’s Smart-Glasses Warning Makes Consent a Design Requirement
Australia’s online-safety regulator wants smart-glasses manufacturers to blur bystanders automatically and make recording signals tamper-resistant. The proposal responds to technology that can turn women’s ordinary public presence into content without meaningful consent.
Yayoi Kusama Leaves a Universe Built From Dots, Repetition and Survival
The Japanese artist died at 97 after transforming private visions into globally recognised installations, sculpture and painting. Her legacy should be understood as sustained artistic discipline—not reduced to spectacle or illness.
New Zealand’s Gender Pay Gap Edges Up After Last Year’s Record Low
Women’s median hourly earnings were 5.3% below men’s in the June quarter, compared with 5.2% a year earlier. The small change is a reminder that a national average can stall while larger gaps remain hidden by occupation and ethnicity.
Registration Has Made Uzbekistan’s Domestic Workers Visible—Not Fully Protected
More than 260,000 people have registered as self-employed domestic-service workers in Uzbekistan, and about 91% are women. Legal recognition is important, but self-employment can still leave workers without wages, leave and social protection guaranteed to employees.
Registration Has Made Uzbekistan’s Domestic Workers Visible—Not Fully Protected
More than 260,000 people have registered as self-employed domestic-service workers in Uzbekistan, and about 91% are women. Legal recognition is important, but self-employment can still leave workers without wages, leave and social protection guaranteed to employees.
Philippines’ IT-BPM Association Names Its First Woman Chief
Celeste Ilagan will lead one of the Philippines’ most economically important industry groups as artificial intelligence transforms outsourcing work. Her appointment turns representation into a substantive labour-policy responsibility.
Nicole Kidman to Receive Australian Women’s Film Festival Trailblazer Award
The award recognises Kidman’s influence not only as an actor but as a producer helping women-led stories reach global audiences.
From Marriage Promise to Trafficking Trap: How Bangladeshi Women Are Being Taken to China
From Marriage Promise to Trafficking Trap: How Bangladeshi Women Are Being Taken to China