The year under review was an active year for ASEAN cooperation in social and human resource development, particularly in consolidating work in response to the social impact of the 1997-1998 regional financial and economic crisis. The work has evolved into managing social changes brought about by the forces of globalisation and trade liberalization in the region. To contribute to narrowing the development gap in ASEAN, several human resource flagship programmes are being developed.
The restructuring of mechanisms for ASEAN social development cooperation has been completed with a view to revitalize and refocus cooperation on policy and strategic issues, such as the implications of economic integration and greater trade and services liberalization, including the impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on social issues. Over the past year, several inaugural meetings of the newly-restructured ASEAN bodies were held. Preparations of work plans for social welfare and development and disaster management are underway.
Although cost-sharing is increasingly used as a modality for funding priority regional activities, ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, UN specialised agencies, the World Bank and other institutions continue to support projects on labour, health, education, women and children. Collaboration with the East Asian partners, which currently covers the field of labour, will soon be extended to health, social welfare and development, and rural development and poverty eradication.
Health
In response to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting and the Special ASEAN-China Leaders' Meeting on SARS were held in Bangkok, Thailand on 29 April 2003. At the Meetings, ASEAN and China expressed common resolve to act in concert and do what is necessary to contain SARS and eliminate the disease from the region.
The Leaders’ resolve was reflected in the two key documents that resulted from the Meetings, namely the Joint Declaration of the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on SARS; and the Joint Statement of the Special ASEAN-China Leaders' Meeting on SARS. The Leaders decided to undertake coordinated measures to contain SARS, including exchange of information, appointing a focal/contact point in every country, carrying out research and training programme, and pre-departure screening for international travelers. The Leaders agreed to set up a Joint Ministerial-Level Task Force to follow up on the agreed measures decided by the Leaders and recommendations made by the ASEAN+3 Health Ministers Special Meeting on SARS. The ASEAN Leaders also instructed ASEAN diplomatic missions and ASEAN committees in third countries to inform the governments, private sector and mass media of their host countries of the outcome of the Meeting. The Meeting called on APEC Health Ministers to meet and take joint action on SARS as soon as possible.
The Meeting welcomed the Chinese proposal to establish a China-ASEAN Special Fund to support bilateral efforts on SARS control and prevention. ASEAN member countries would also contribute, on a voluntary basis, to a counterpart ASEAN-China Fund.
The outbreak of SARS was also discussed at the First Meeting of the ASEAN Expert Group on Communicable Diseases (AEGCD), which was held on 1-2 April 2003 in Siem Reap. The officials provided updates on the spread of SARS, discussed effective ways to contain its spread, and explored strategies to improve surveillance, treatment and prevention of the disease. A regional workshop to strengthen laboratory and quality control systems for supporting surveillance and outbreak investigation will be held in Malaysia.
The ASEAN Seminar on Web-based ASEAN-Net to Promote Regional Infectious Disease Outbreak Recognition and Response Activities was organized by the Ministry of Health of Indonesia from 29 April to 2 May 2002 in Bali. The seminar received financial and technical support from the United States Naval Medical Research Unit 2 (NAMRU-2). Web-based cooperation is expected to provide real-time and accurate epidemiological situation of the outbreak of infectious diseases in the region. The project’s current site can be accessed at http://www.asean-disease-surveillance.net. As envisioned, Member Countries would submit information on laboratory capabilities, country experts, training opportunities, surveillance and outbreak reports for incorporation in the website.
On diseases surveillance, ASEAN will implement two projects on tuberculosis control, namely the “Advocacy and Promotion of Tuberculosis Control in the ASEAN Region” and the “Expansion and Assurance of Quality DOTS Coverage in ASEAN Member Countries.”
The ASEAN Secretariat, with the assistance of the World Health Organization, is in the process of preparing an initial five-year programme of activities to operationalise the Regional Action Plan on Healthy ASEAN Lifestyles, which has been adopted by the ASEAN Health Ministers.
The restructuring of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) is now complete. Terms of Reference for the SOMHD Working Group on Project Development and ASEAN Expert Group on Communicable Diseases have been adopted. These two bodies were convened for the first time in Siem Reap on 1-2 April 2003.
The control of tobacco consumption is a central priority of the Regional Action Plan on Healthy ASEAN Lifestyles. Member Countries are concerned about the increasing consumption of tobacco in the region, especially among younger adults and adolescents, and the burden this imposes on health care systems and resources. The 2nd ASEAN Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was held on 2-4 September 2002 in Bangkok to prepare for the 6th Intergovernmental Negotiation Body on the FCTC organized by the WHO in Geneva in February 2003.
An ASEAN workshop on “Development of a Regional Protocol on Epidemiological Assessment of the Needs and Resources for the Frail Elderly People and Development of Regional Strategies for Planning Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Community Based Health Care Services for the Elderly” was hosted by Myanmar from 30 December 2002 to 1 January 2003. The workshop established a network to exchange information on community-based health care services for the elderly.
ASEAN has endorsed the project on “Home Care for the Older People in the ASEAN Countries,” which aims to develop volunteer-based home care programmes for the elderly in ASEAN countries based on the Korean experience but adapted to suit the ASEAN socio-cultural and economic context. The ROK has extended technical assistance to this project. The Project’s Regional Advisory Committee met in April 2003 to review detailed work-plans and select the participating agencies for the project. This project will be an important part of the key programme areas of ASEAN Regional Work Programme on Community-Based Care for the Elderly.
The ASEAN Working Group on Technical Cooperation in Pharmaceuticals (AWGTCP) continued to exchange information in such areas as drug safety; improving access to needed medicines - the Doha Declaration on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and public health; pharmacoeconomics in drug regulatory activities and pharmaceutical practices. The Working Group has agreed to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity on good clinical practice (GCP) and clinical trials.
Aimed at formulating a regional plan of action to address the impact of globalization and trade liberalization on the health sector, the ASEAN Workshop on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and Its Impact on Health Services was convened in March 2002 in Jakarta. The report of the Workshop entitled “GATS, Trade, Health and Services: A Preliminary Assessment” has been published by WHO in collaboration with the Indonesian Directorate General of Medical Care and the ASEAN Secretariat. The SOMHD has agreed on the need to develop a work plan on GATS and health, focusing on research, advocacy and strengthening of accreditation for medical education.
ASEAN and WHO have agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations for another five years. The previous MOU expired in April 2002. A meeting will be held in Jakarta in the second half of 2003 to review the current cooperation and formulate new strategies for strengthening collaboration.
The ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and ROK) Senior Officials Meeting on Health was held in Siem Reap on 5 April 2003. The Meeting agreed that cooperation on health should focus on emerging challenges in the region, such as the development of health care systems, the provision of medical care services, health care financing, including health insurance.
Rural Development and Poverty Eradication
The initial phase of the implementation of the Framework of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and the ASEAN Action Plan on Social Safety Nets has proceeded well with the assistance of AusAID and the UNDP. Projects on poverty monitoring (coordinated by Malaysia) and training of community-based facilitators on rural development and poverty eradication (coordinated by Indonesia) have been implemented.
The ASEAN Ministers of Rural Development, at their Third Meeting held in December 2002, expressed concern regarding the possible impact of globalisation and trade liberalisation on the question of poverty in the region. The Ministers have requested the ASEAN Secretariat to undertake a comprehensive review of regional cooperation on poverty eradication and rural development. The review is expected to chart strategic directions to respond to emerging trends, especially with respect to emerging global concerns and their impact on current plans of action as well as focus cooperation on issues that are transboundary. The review would also look at how the current institutional mechanisms for cooperation could be further streamlined and improved, including the mobilisation of the resources of Member Countries for priority regional projects.
ASEAN countries, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Japanese Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID), will engage in an exchange of experiences in promoting community participation approaches for rural poverty reduction beginning in June 2003. The project aims to share lessons learned in addressing the exclusion and vulnerability of rural populations and in devising economic activities to assist them.
New Initiatives in Social Welfare and Development
The ASEAN Work Programme on Social Welfare, Family and Population (2003-2006) was adopted at the inaugural ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD), which was held in October 2002 in Siem Reap. The Work Programme identifies priorities for regional cooperation on social welfare, family and population, taking into account emerging challenges arising from demographic developments in the region and the implications of the changing structure of the family.
The First SOMSWD exchanged views on national responses to the threat of HIV/AIDS and on possibilities for coordinating regional consensus on the proposed convention on persons with disabilities and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. The next meeting of SOMSWD will provide an opportunity for Member Countries to report on their preparations for the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004.
The Interregional Seminar and Demonstration Regional Workshop on Accessible Information and Communication Technologies was held in Manila on 3-7 March 2003. It was aimed at promoting exchange of experiences in facilitating the access of disabled persons to ICT. This project obtained technical support from the UNDP.
Children
ASEAN and UNICEF have agreed to formulate a work plan on the welfare of children and young persons as a guide for long-term cooperation. The work plan will address priorities identified in the Declaration of Commitments on Children in ASEAN adopted by the 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare (AMRSW) in August 2001, “A World Fit for Children” adopted by the UNGA Special Session on Children, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
In March 2003, UNICEF provided technical assistance for the ASEAN project on early childcare and development, which extended the project into second phase. Two of the planned four regional policy seminars have been convened. The second seminar, held in Thailand, looked at ways to strengthen and improve monitoring systems for promoting early child care and development through better indicators and management and dissemination of information. The seminar was convened with financial support from the New Zealand Agency for International Deveopment (NZAID). The next regional policy seminar in the series will be hosted by Indonesia in 2004.
Women
The first meeting of the restructured ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) was held in October 2002 and discussed the need to formulate a work plan on women’s advancement and gender equality. The ACW agreed to publish the Third Regional Report on the Advancement of Women by 2005 in conjunction with the ten-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action. The ACW has agreed that the format of the Regional Report should be in accordance with the progress reports prepared by Member Countries on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. This will facilitate the compilation of data and eliminate duplication of efforts. The ACW has agreed that the theme for the 2nd ACW Meeting in 2003 would focus on gender-based violence. The ACW has also agreed to formulate an ASEAN Declaration Against Gender-Based Violence.
Youth
ASEAN youth officials exchanged experiences and lessons learned on addressing youth unemployment in the wake of the economic and financial crisis of 1997-98. A videoconference on youth development with the theme “ASEAN Youth Unemployment: Post Economic Crisis” was convened on 20 March 2003 under the ASEAN-World Bank joint programme on mainstreaming social development.
Discussions were aided by presentations from resource persons from the ILO and the World Bank. Among the concerns raised by the ASEAN countries during the discussion were the importance of having strong linkages among the national education system and the labour market, including having labour market information available for educational planning and to minimise the mis-match between the supply and demand of labour. Also discussed were the need to facilitate the transition between school and work; strengthening the role of the private sector in integrating young people into the labour market; and the possibility of establishing a network for sharing youth unemployment in Member Countries.
Member Countries agreed to undertake further collaboration on the following: (a) Successful models for integrating youth development into the national development agenda; coordinating structures that work well in promoting multi sector involvement as well as between different levels of government (especially for countries going through decentralisation); (b) The role of the private sector in youth employment programmes; the policy framework and type of incentives which are effective; (c) Strategies to ensure the relevance of education and training to the skills required by the job market and what basic competencies are imparted; and (d) State-of-the-art practices/strategies in making general education relevant to industry, i.e. the linkage between general and vocational education. More information on ASEAN-World Bank programme on this matter is available on the Internet at http://www1.worldbank.org/gdln/asean.htm.
HIV/AIDS
The implementation of the ASEAN Work Programme on HIV/AIDS II (AWPII), which was adopted by the 7th ASEAN Summit on HIV/AIDS in 2001, continued. The 10th Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on AIDS (ATFOA) and the Regional Workshop to Operationalise the AWP II were held in Vientiane in October 2002 and discussed strategies for mobilising resources for the implementation of (a) Joint Action to Increase Access to Affordable Drugs and Testing Reagents; (b) Inter-country Activities on Mobile Populations; (c) Promoting Multisectoral Collaboration (Integrating HIV/AIDS into Development Agenda, Mitigating the Social and Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS; Promoting Awareness of HIV/AIDS among Religious Leaders); and (d) Creating a Positive Environment, especially for activities which require joint action.
The ASEAN Cooperation Forum on HIV/AIDS was held on 19-20 February 2003 in Bangkok to promote understanding of the AWPII’s goals, programmes and priorities, as well as to mobilize technical and financial support of donor countries and international agencies. The Forum was attended by Member Countries and representatives of donor countries and regional and international agencies.
The 7th ASEAN Summit Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the ASEAN Work Programme on HIV/AIDS II (2002-2005) have identified access to essential HIV/AIDS drugs as a priority area for ASEAN cooperation. In this regard, two ASEAN workshops on the Exchange of Information on Access to HIV/AIDS Drugs and the Exchange of Experience on Increasing Access to Treatment and Care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were held on 4-7 June 2002 in Jakarta. Based on the recommendations of these workshops, Member Countries have agreed to compile baseline data on the extent of unmet demand for Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs, patent laws, prices of ARVs, local capacity for production and administrative requirements for importing generics so that joint action plan could be prepared on options to increase access such as: joint negotiation and bulk purchasing.
The SOMHD continued to exchange views on the WTO Doha Declaration on the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Right (TRIPS) and public health. The SOMHD has endorsed the project proposal on: “Intellectual Property Law Review and Capacity Building on Intellectual Property Rights Related to Public Health in the ASEAN Region”, which aims to address the issue of access to drugs.
To promote multisectoral collaboration, HIV/AIDS will be included in future meetings and activities of ASEAN Senior Officials Meetings on Youth (SOMY) and Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD). A second International Leaders Consultation on HIV/AIDS/STD was held on 19-23 May 2003 in Kuala Lumpur aimed at mobilizing religious leaders in the campaign against HIV/AIDS.
Under ASEAN-China collaboration in the area of HIV/AIDS, the first workshop on “Establishing China-ASEAN AIDS Laboratory Network” was convened from 22 to 28 December 2002 in Beijing. Follow-up activities have been proposed.
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Labour and Employment
Eight priority activities under the ASEAN Labour Ministers Work Programme and the flagship Technical Assistance Programme for the CLMV countries intended to meet the labour and employment challenges of closer regional integration were presented at the IAI Development Cooperation Forum (IDCF), which was held in August 2002 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. A joint review between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ASEAN to identify areas of collaboration, especially where ILO technical assistance and on-going/planned activities could be mobilized, was conducted between 15 and 25 January 2003 in Lao PDR, Viet Nam and Thailand.
Industrial Relations
The ASEAN Programme on Industrial Relations commenced implementation in July 2002 with the convening of a Project Design Meeting to set the guidelines for a consultative process where specific needs of ASEAN countries were canvassed for inclusion into a regional program. The identified needs and recommendations were then discussed at a regional tripartite seminar in February 2003, which generated further recommendations for concerted ASEAN action in establishing harmonious industrial relations. The seminar agreed to work towards an ASEAN Regional Programme on Industrial Relations.
Specific policy areas have been identified as follow: fundamental framework of labour management laws and regulations; industrial relations involving wages, productivity and competition; and harmony of industrial relations with technological innovation and economic integration. These will be addressed in regional policy workshops involving tripartite participation. Japan, which provided financial and technical support for the project’s first year activities, has indicated an interest to continue the assistance.
Cooperation with Other Countries
ASEAN has carried out joint initiatives individually with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in the area of human resource development. The China-ASEAN Higher Level Seminar on Social Security was held in November 2001. The Seminar recommended a work plan for sharing of experiences between ASEAN countries and China on pension insurance coverage.
The Republic of Korea (ROK) has continued assisting ASEAN human resource development through the annual Human Resources Development Programmes for Officials of ASEAN Countries since 1993. Prior to the implementation of the 7th HRD Programme, held from 21 October to 8 November 2002 in Seoul, the ASEAN Secretariat and the ROK’s Central Officials Training Institute conducted a joint review as mandated by the ASEAN Labour Ministers in view of the new priorities for labour and HRD. As a result of the joint review discussions, future HRD Programmes will now include interactive seminar sessions involving practitioners in labour and HRD to allow for a more enriching exchange of information and ideas among ASEAN and ROK officials.
Australia has supported ASEAN in enhancing labour mobility through mutual skills recognition. The EU has indicated its interest to share experience on integrated social protection for workers, under the framework of the ASEAN-EU Project on Regional Integration Support.
Occupational Safety and Health Network (OSHNET)
The ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network held a workshop in September 2002 towards building a computer-based networking. The workshop agreed to standardize the format of information in the national OSHNET and the regional OSHNET websites. In addition to supporting the workshop, Japan also provided technical expertise as well as hardware and software to the Member Countries. The newly enhanced regional ASEAN-OSHNET website (http://www.asean-oshnet.or.id) with hyperlinks to all the ten OSHNET national websites was launched in May 2003.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
The 12th Meeting of the ASEAN Experts Group on Disaster Management (AEGDM), held on 16-18 September 2002 in Viet Nam, agreed to restructure the AEGDM into an ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM). To intensify ASEAN cooperation in disaster management, the Committee also decided to meet annually instead of once every two years. The Committee’s revised Terms of Reference was adopted by the 2nd Meeting of the 36th ASEAN Standing Committee in February 2003.
The ASEAN Regional Programme on Disaster Management (ARPDM) has been adopted. It was formulated with the assistance of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). Under the ARPDM, cooperation among the Member Countries will cover capacity building, sharing of information and resources, engaging external partnerships, and public education, awareness and advocacy in disaster management.
In February 2003, focal points of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) participated in the 3rd Regional Seminar on Partnership for Emergency Preparedness. Supported by UNHCR-Jakarta, this seminar generated proposed plans to be carried out within 2003, including projects such as training for trainers; contingency plan development; formulation of emergency manuals; and closer cooperation between ACDM focal points, UNHCR and other UN bodies.
EDUCATION
The newly restructured ASEAN Committee on Education (ASCOE) held its first meeting in September 2002 in Cambodia with a re-focused mission to promote ASEAN awareness in primary and secondary schools. ASCOE has agreed to develop a Framework for a Plan of Action on Promoting ASEAN Awareness in the Schools. Member Countries will share information on their existing activities to promote ASEAN awareness with a view to opening appropriate activities for participation by other ASEAN countries.
Organized on an annual basis, the Third Students Exchange Programme at the Secondary Level was held from July 19 to August 1, 2002 in Thailand with the theme Education for Conservation of Historical Sites and for the Promotion of Eco-Tourism. Indonesia will be hosting the Fourth Exchange Programme in October 2003.
The ASEAN University Network
Now on its eight year, the ASEAN University Network (AUN) continues to promote collaborative studies and research programs among its 17-member educational institutions. The AUN continues to implement activities, such as developing ASEAN Studies Programme; Student and Faculty Exchange Programme; Scholarships for Graduate Students at ASEAN Countries; Information Networking Among ASEAN Universities; and Collaborative Research.
Under the Student and Faculty Exchange Programme, the University of Malaya will launch a Master’s Degree Programme in ASEAN Studies in June 2003 and offer scholarships to interested ASEAN applicants. The Third ASEAN Graduate Business/Economics Programme annual meeting was held at the National University of Singapore on 20 November 2002. The Pasundan University in Bandung hosted the International University Students Conference on 3-9 February 2003.
Now on its third year, faculty exchange continued through the ASEAN Distinguished Professors Program. Matching of the participating faculty members with their areas of interest in fellow AUN participating universities is coordinated by the AUN Secretariat. Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the University of the Philippines, the National University of Singapore, Chulalongkorn University, Burapha University and the University of Malaya continue to offer scholarships to the students from AUN Member Universities. Holding of seminars/workshops to explore collaborative research on topics of interest to ASEAN is being planned.
On information networking, the De La Salle University (DLSU) hosted a Seminar on AUN Inter-Library Online (AUNILO) on 13-14 September 2002. Information networking in this area will focus on the development of resource sharing activities among the libraries in AUN Member Universities and exchange/training programmes for library and ICT personnel. The DLSU also hosted the ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum on 25-30 March 2003. The AUN has developed an HRD project for CLMV countries on higher education management.
In addition to the academic exchange programmes with the European Union, the Republic of Korea, and China, the AUN is now considering similar initiatives with India and Russia. The ASEAN-EU University Network Programme has commenced implementation with a call for project proposals from ASEAN and European institutes to be funded from the European Commission grant of ECU 7 million. Under the cooperation with Korea programme, a conference under the ASEAN-Korea Academic Exchange 2001was held from 19 to 21 February 2003.
The AUN Secretariat and the ASEAN Secretariat jointly organised the ASEAN Young Speakers Forum at the ASEAN Secretariat in October 2002. The Forum received funding support from the ASEAN Cultural Fund. Conceptualized as part of the series of commemorative events for ASEAN’s 35th anniversary, the Forum brought together 20 undergraduate students from the various AUN participating universities. A feature article on the ASEAN Young Speakers Forum can be viewed at the ASEAN Secretariat homepage http://www.aseansec.org/13207.htm. The Forum has sparked interest in the AUN participating universities on ASEAN. The AUN Board has recommended that the Forum be made into a regular flagship activity.
