1. The 4th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare was convened on 1 August 2001 in Singapore, preceded by the preparatory Senior Officials Meeting for Social Welfare held from 30 to 31 July 2001.
2. The Meeting was a milestone in the history of ASEAN cooperation in social welfare and development as this was the first time all the ten ASEAN Member Countries are participating in this meeting since the admission of Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia into ASEAN.
Opening Ceremony
3. The Meeting was officially opened by the President of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Mr. S R Nathan.
4. In his Keynote Address, H.E. President S R Nathan noted the changed circumstances under which the 4th AMRSW was held. The greater uncertainties, globalized economy and keener competition would have an impact on the social fabric of member countries. A holistic approach integrating social and economic policies would be fundamental to progress in social development. He emphasized that the ultimate driver for social development is economic development.
5. H.E. President Nathan emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of the family and community in social development. He noted that the family and the community were instrumental to building society’s capacity to withstand societal changes and challenges.
6. H.E. President Nathan noted that the Meeting would provide the Ministers the opportunity to have a greater understanding of the social challenges faced by ASEAN and exchange ideas on cooperation to address these issues.
Social Challenges
7. The Ministers had the opportunity to discuss and share experiences on social challenges faced by ASEAN countries in the light of globalization, trade liberalization and increasing global economic competition. They noted that the institutions for social development cooperation in ASEAN would need to become more flexible in addressing new challenges and opportunities arising from globalization, particularly in the context of realising ASEAN’s vision of a Community of Caring Societies by 2020.
8. The Ministers also acknowledged that economic development is a critical foundation for social development and vice-versa. They called for the integration of economic and social development in the national and regional development agenda.
9. Taking into consideration the challenges facing ASEAN, Ministers discussed and shared views on directions and principles to guide future regional cooperation on social welfare and development, so as to more effectively anticipate and manage the social impact of globalisation.
10. The Ministers agreed that the family is the foundation for a stable society. They further agreed to pursue among others, greater cooperation in strengthening the family. The role of the community in social welfare and development was also recognized. The Ministers also agreed that enhancing the community’s involvement and increasing its self-reliance would help to alleviate social stresses.
Social Welfare and Development Cooperation
11. The Ministers reviewed the mechanisms for social welfare and development co-operation in ASEAN. They welcomed the decision of the 34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting to reconstitute the Committee on Social Development (COSD) into a Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development coordinating cooperation in the areas of social welfare, population, children and the family. Accordingly, the Ministers adopted the new Terms of Reference for the SOMSWD and noted with appreciation the offer of Cambodia to host the first SOMSWD in the third quarter of 2002.
12. The Ministers also agreed that the name of the Ministerial Meeting be changed from Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare to “ASEAN Ministerial Meeting for Social Welfare and Development” to better reflect the increasing importance of integrating social development with national policies and plans. The name change also signals the need to take a more holistic and integrated approach to social issues and develop more preventive and pro-active measures to address these issues.
13. In discussing the revitalization of ASEAN co-operation in social welfare and development, the Ministers tasked their Senior Officials to formulate regional work plans and programmes focusing on the development of human capital through building the capacity of individuals, family and the community and by providing the necessary infrastructure and services to help them deal with important social challenges.
Declaration on the Commitments to Children in ASEAN
14. The Ministers reviewed the progress and the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Children adopted by the Third Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare in Manila in 1993, focusing on areas of cooperation such as the survival, protection, development and participation of children in ASEAN.
15. They recognized that the welfare of children today will determine ASEAN’s progress and agreed that children ought to be provided with an environment conducive for their development. To this end, the Ministers adopted the Declaration on the Commitments to Children in ASEAN (attached as Annex). The key focus of the Declaration is on supporting the family in its role as the primary care giver and nurturer of children. The Ministers called for the strengthening of the family so as to safeguard the welfare and development of children.
16. The Declaration reiterates the commitment by the Ministers for child survival, development, protection and participation, as called for by the 1993 ASEAN Plan of Action on Children, as well as the Hanoi Plan of Action adopted by the Sixth ASEAN Summit in 1998. The Declaration is also the first ASEAN document on commitments for children in the 21st century to be endorsed by all the ten ASEAN Member Countries.
5th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development
17. The Ministers welcomed with appreciation Thailand’s gracious offer to host the 5th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting for Social Welfare and Development in 2004.
18. The Meeting was held in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and cordiality.
19. The 4th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare was attended by:
H.E. Pehin Dato Haji Awang Hussain bin Pehin Dato Haji Awang Mohd. Yusof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Brunei Darussalam;
H.E. Mdm Prak Chantha, Secretary of State, Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation, Kingdom of Cambodia;
H.E. Prof. Dr. Yaumil Chairiah Agoes Achir, Deputy Secretary of the Vice President, Republic of Indonesia;
H.E. Mr Somphanh Phengkhammy, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;
H.E. Dato’ Dr. Hajah Siti Zaharah binti Sulaiman, Minister of National Unity and Social Development, Malaysia;
H.E. Major-General Sein Htwa, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Union of Myanmar;
H.E. Mrs. Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Republic of the Philippines;
H.E. Mr. Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister for Community Development and Sports, Republic of Singapore;
H.E. Mr. Elawat Chandraprasert, Permanent Secretary and Representative of the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Kingdom of Thailand;
H.E. Mr. Dam Huu Dac, Vice-Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam;
H.E. Dato’ Ahmad Mokhtar Selat, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN;
and their respective delegations.
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