ASEAN officials discuss socio-cultural development plan
The fourth meeting of the Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council (SOCA) opened in Da Nang City on August 14 with the participation of representatives from 10 ASEAN member countries.
In his opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa emphasised the significance of the meeting, saying it took place at a time when ASEAN is trying to establish a united community by 2015.
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To realise this target, ASEAN is making every effort to develop human resources, increase social welfare for the people, especially women and children, and promote cooperation with its dialogue partners to effectively address regional and global challenges, while raising public awareness of ASEAN culture, said Mr Hoa.
He noted that ASEAN has made important progress in meeting priority objectives of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) in 2010. ASEAN labour ministers adopted a plan of action for the 2010-2015 period in Hanoi recently with a focus on finalising the ASEAN legal framework on labour, fostering healthy labour relations, developing labour markets, strengthening occupational safety and health, developing partnerships, and improving human resources for ASEAN.
Marked progress has been also made in promoting and protecting the rights of women, children and migrant workers. The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) made its debut in Hanoi in April. The commission is expected to increase the empowerment and engagement of women and children in building the ASEAN community.
He said ASEAN has taken initial steps towards coping with global challenges, including climate change and natural disasters. It has issued an ASEAN declaration on climate change and established an ASEAN taskforce on climate change. The 21st ASEAN Environmental Ministers Meeting in Hanoi put forward solutions to meet priority tasks on the environment and response to climate change.
During the two-day event, the officials will look at the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint and exchanged views on priority areas listed in the ASCC Blueprint.
They will put the finishing touches to a draft declaration of ASEAN Leaders on human resource development, skills for economic recovery and growth, and a draft declaration of ASEAN Leaders on social welfare for women and children. The two drafts will be submitted to ASCC and the upcoming ASEAN Leaders Summit in Hanoi this October for approval.