FEMALE FORWARD

"Leadership is Not a Solo Journey"

Standing before twelve women from across Southeast and East Asia, CALD Women's Caucus Vice-Chairperson Alysa Chiu offered a reminder that would quietly define the next three days.

"Leadership is not a solo journey."

It was more than an opening remark. It challenged the old political assumption that leaders emerge through individual ambition and succeed through individual strength.

From 18-21 June, the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), through its Women's Caucus and in partnership with the Democrat Party of Thailand, launched the 2026 Asian Women Education (AWE) CALD Mentorship Program. Supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, the launch gathered mentors, leadership coaches, and twelve emerging women leaders from Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Selected from more than fifty applicants across Asia, the twelve mentees arrived in Bangkok expecting to learn practical lessons in political leadership. Instead, they were first asked to learn about themselves.

Under the guidance of facilitators Maya Tamayo and Viola Torres, the participants reflected on defining moments, personal struggles, quiet victories, and the values that had guided them long before they considered entering public leadership. Through storytelling, creative exercises, and dialogue, the women examined not only what they hoped to accomplish but why they wanted to lead in the first place. Chelse Racar Caballero, Program Lead for the CALD Women's Caucus, explained that this approach reflects the program's three foundations: internal empowerment, collective empowerment, and practical empowerment.

The conversation then turned to a broader discussion about power. Drawing from Transformative Feminist Leadership, Maya Tamayo challenged the participants to rethink power not as domination but as something that can be shared, nurtured, and transformed. "Transformative feminist leadership seeks to transform consciousness, relationships, and structures," she reminded the cohort.

Throughout the gathering, mentors reinforced a common message: leadership is not about having every answer. It is about making difficult decisions while remaining faithful to one's values. Attorney Ngalim Tiunn of Taiwan reflected, "Navigating power means knowing which expectations to work with, which ones to challenge, and where to compromise."

Mentors also spoke candidly about the uncertainty that marked their own paths into public life. Jaslyn Go, Chairperson of the CALD Women's Caucus, described herself before entering politics as "a very ordinary woman". Witnessing the limited support available to working women in Singapore convinced her that meaningful change required participation rather than observation. Attorney Cyrille "Beng" Abueg-Zaldivar of the Philippines rejected the notion that leadership belongs to a select few. "This may be a cliché, but nobody is really born to be a leader," she said. "Anyone can become one. And this mentorship program is part of becoming one."

Over the next six months, mentors and mentees will continue meeting through online mentoring sessions, leadership coaching, and collaborative learning. The program will help participants strengthen practical political skills, expand regional networks, and support one another through community exposure and private mentorship from experienced women leaders.

The next generation of women leaders will not simply inherit existing systems. They will have the opportunity and the responsibility to reshape them as Hon. Yashinta Sekarwangi of Indonesia said, “Leadership is not about fitting into an existing system but about transforming systems to become more inclusive and equitable. Stay true to your purpose, know your worth, and live with integrity in whatever sector you’re working in.”

And for these twelve women, that journey has only just begun.

*Hnin Wint Naing is the Regional Communication Officer of the Asia Office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.