President Barack Obama and other Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum made historic commitments in Beijing to advance women’s economic participation. The UN estimates that the APEC region loses upwards of $89 billion in GDP a year due to laws, policies, and social norms that inhibit women from being able to fully participate in and benefit from the economy. In 2011 under U.S. leadership, APEC elevated and energized its focus on women’s economic empowerment. Since then, APEC Ministers and Leaders from all 21 economies collectively have agreed to take action to realize the full potential of women, focusing efforts on five key pillars impacting women’s economic empowerment, women’s access to markets, skills, capacity building and health, women’s leadership, and innovation and technology.