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Participants pose for photos during the Her Times Women Empowerment Awards Ceremony in Singapore, on July 22, 2019. A women empowerment forum hosted here Monday by a local women magazine called for better education opportunities, more collaboration between men and women and more care towards women themselves. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A women empowerment forum hosted here Monday by a local women magazine called for better education opportunities, more collaboration between men and women and more care towards women themselves.

In the third edition of the forum themed Water, Earth and Women held by the Her Times magazine, three panelists shared with the audience their thoughts from the United Nations (UN), community and corporate points of views.

In her welcoming speech, Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese-language magazine Annie Song noted Her Times chose the topic as water, earth and women are the most basic elements concerning the sustainable development of the human society and women can play bigger role in shouldering responsibilities in social arenas such as climate changes and environmental protection.

Georgette Tan, President of the Singapore Committee for UN Women noted in her speech that women and young girls need fundamental education and training to be in better positions to make decisions. She called on women to be a little "selfish" to care more for themselves so that they can be more enabled to help in their families, businesses, communities as well as the world affairs.

Yenny Wahid, director of the Wahid Institute in Indonesia said they helped to train women at the grassroot levels which can also make bigger changes. According to her, legal structures are needed to ensure women more fair playing ground with the men.

The forum was followed by an award presenting ceremony of the Rising50 Women Empowerment Award (WEA) to outstanding women in Singapore and Indonesia. It was launched by Her Times in 2017 when marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Indonesia.