Discussing the management of social transformation

Entitled “Societal Vulnerability”, the forum was organised by the Vietnamese Government in collaboration with UNESCO.

It focused its attention on the social transformations arising from global environmental change, and social integration—two priorities in UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme.

Delegates expressed ASEAN’s shared aspirations for a global solution to climate change’s many challenges and an ASEAN community resilient and flexible enough to address those challenges on national and regional levels.

Existing legal frameworks incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes, but there is a need for policies that tackle the impact of environmental changes on communities and social inclusion.

The forum proposed recommendations and practical policy options to strengthen social inclusion within these legal and institutional frameworks.

The forum is part of a wider Social Development Ministerial Forum series under UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme.

The series of forums is attempting to facilitate policy design and implementation based on rigorous social science. Its policy-oriented dialogues encourage innovation and welcome both experts and senior decision-makers.

According to Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) Vice President, the forum meets urgent requirements to ensure people’s basic rights, including the right to live in safety and the right to be protected from risks posed by climate change.

Southeast Asian nations are prone to climate change, in which Vietnam is one of the five countries in the world most vulnerable to the phenomenon.

Delegates called for the enhancement of the role of social sciences in addressing social integration challenges in the context of environmental change.