According to employment by economic activity, as at the 3rd quarter of 2007, of the total occupation, women accounted for 35% and 26%, respectively, in agriculture and manufacturing. During 2003-2007 of the estimated worker contracts abroad, on average, 65% have been females. Although there has been some impact following the removal of export quotas for garments  BIS Review 40/2008  1  under the multi-fiber agreement in 2005, the important point is that, in terms of employment, the female labour force has not suffered significantly. Women’s contribution to growth has been much more significant in the recent decades, given their enhanced involvement as garment and apparel factory workers, domestic helpers in the Middle East and other destinations, and tea plantation workers. In terms of foreign exchange inflows during 2007, garments and apparel have accounted for USD 3.3mn, worker remittances for USD 2.5mn and tea exports for USD 1.0mn. Around 80% of exports have been dependent largely on the fortunes of the garments industry in which over 90 per cent of employees are women. The 3 export processing zones, i.e. Katunayake, Biyagama and Koggala, the increasing number of industrial estates located in the different parts of the country, and around 150 rural garment factories, provide employment opportunities for young women between 18-30 years. Although precise statistics are not available to indicate the participation of women or their contribution to enhance foreign exchange inflows, undoubtedly, women’s contribution has been very significant.

Market participants can then use this standardised information to assess the value of projects and price them better. Testing the use of remote sensing technology combined with satellites to more 7 / 10  BIS central bankers' speeches  accurately verify carbon sequestration. This is important to ensure that credits issued from a project represent real and measurable reductions in emissions. Complementing the Sustainability Alliance, DBS Bank, Temasek, the National University of Singapore, and Conservation International have come together to research nature-based solutions. I am pleased to share that they launched just this morning a joint report studying the commercial viability of nature-based solutions. Temasek and DBS Bank are leading a six-month Technology Accelerator for start-ups interested to use technology to scale nature-based solutions. The National University of Singapore, the World Bank, and Google have come on board as partners to the Accelerator. International co-operation remains key to growing the Asian carbon credits market. The Task Force for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, sponsored by the Institute of International Finance, has launched a consultation paper outlining 17 very sensible recommendations. Singapore is keen to work with like-minded countries and businesses to test-bed the recommendations of the Task Force… … and to start laying the foundations for a viable carbon credits market in Asia. Green Finance Action Plan The second way in which Singapore seeks to facilitate Asia’s transition to a sustainable future is through the Green Finance Action Plan, which MAS launched at the FinTech Festival last year.