The inferior position assigned to Asian women jeopardizes not only their future status in society, but also the future of society itself. The major problems standing in the way of empowerment for women are individual and family related, community, sociopolitical, cultural, and economic. Centralized planning of literacy/civic education programs in the Asia Pacific region means that area-specific and need-specific programs for women are rarely implemented. Analyses of literacy/post-literacy materials in Asia and the Pacific have shown that the contents consist mainly of matters related to the stereotype of the traditional role of women in society. Strategies to achieve empowerment for women through education should include community participation, universalization of elementary education for girls, teacher development, decentralized planning, continuing education, international cooperation, income-generating projects, and organization. Special attention should also be paid to continuously revisable planning, more innovative materials and delivery methods, monitoring and evaluation, and support systems for women's projects. (Appendixes include a chart that correlates problems with proposed activities and agencies and 21 references are attached.) (YLB)