The webinar Gender Disparities and Population Ageing in Developing Asia, held on 8 May 2025, was jointly organized by the Population Association of Sri Lanka (PASL), the Demographic Institute, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, the International Journal of Population Issues, and the Department of Demography, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo. The webinar examined how ageing intersects with gender in developing Asia, shaping health outcomes, economic security, caregiving roles, and social inclusion. It highlighted how older women often face higher risks of poverty, limited access to healthcare, and social isolation, while older men encounter challenges linked to changing family roles and loss of traditional status. These gendered experiences were discussed as central to the development of equitable and inclusive ageing policies in the region.
The speakers included Professor Manori K. Weeratunga (President, Population Association of Sri Lanka), Associate Professor Fatemeh Torabi (University of Tehran, Iran), Assistant Professor Diahadi Setyonaluri (Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia), and Chalermpol Chamchan (Mahidol University, Thailand). The session was moderated by Lai Siao Li (University of Malaya, Malaysia), with opening remarks by Aris Ananta (Universitas Indonesia; Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Population Issues) and closing remarks by Professor Manori K. Weeratunga, President of the Population Association of Sri Lanka