Over half of Asia’s population is women who, according to UN estimates, could be helping the region grow , but instead face barriers that keep them from reaching their full economic potential.

FOR entrepreneurs like Rusmala Dewi from Palembang on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the need to earn money for the family means they don’t even finish secondary education. Dewi left school at 14 because her parents could no longer afford the fees. With about $20 in capital, she started making hand-woven Indonesian brocades called songket, completing about one a month.
Asia losing $89bn a year by failing to recognise women’s economic worth