Committee on Social Development

The Committee on Social Development (COSD) held its Eighth Meeting in Jakarta in August 1983 and Ninth Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in May 1984.

EDUCATION:

Notable achievements were made in the field of education implemented under the ASEAN Development Education Project (ADEPT), with financial assistance from Australia. The ADEP consists of five sub-projects namely: Special Education, Education Management Information System, Teacher Education Reform, Work Oriented Education for in-School and Out-of- School Youth and Test Development. The ADEP had entered into its fourth phase of implementation. At the Eighth ASEAN - Australia Forum, Australia agreed to extend the project to 1986.

ASEAN Population Programme:

The ASEAN Population Programme recorded significant progress in the implementation of Phase I and Phase II Projects. The projects consist of the following:

(2) Population Mobility and Urbanization (Thailand);

(3) ASEAN Training for Population and Development (Malaysia)

(4) ASEAN Population Information Networks (POPIN) ( Philippines);

(5) Morbidity and Mortality Differentials (Indonesia)

(6) The Contribution of Women in Population and Development (Malaysia) and

(7) Socio-Economic Consequences of the Ageing of the Population (Singapore).

During the Eighth ASEAN-Australia Forum Australia committed A$ 6 million to support the Phase III ASEAN Population Programmes for a further period of four years from 1984.

A Conference and Study Tour on Population, Resources and Development, by ASEAN Parliamentarians, was sponsored by Japan and UNFPA, and was successfully held in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia from September/October 1983. The Project was organized by the ASEAN Population Coordinating Unit (APCU).

Human Resources Development:

The ASEAN Human Resources Development Projects, funded by Japan with the sum of US$ 100 million for a period of 5 years, were established in five ASEAN countries. The five projects are as follows:

	Indonesia	: Centre  for   Vocational and Extension Services
			  Training (CEVEST)

	Malaysia	: Centre  for  Instructors and Advance Skills
			  Training (CIAST)

	Philippines	: Rural Development Programme through
 			  Strengthening Agro-Industrial Livelihood
 			  Activities (KKK)

	Singapore	: Productivity Development Project (PDP)

	Thailand	: Training Centre for Primary Health Care 
			  (TCPHC).

Cooperation in Drug and Narcotics Control:

The year under review was characterized by a significant stride in ASEAN cooperation in drug and narcotics control.

A mobile Seminar, funded by the United States Government, was held from January to February 1984.

The Eighth ASEAN Drug Experts Meeting in Jakarta in April 1984, formulated the following project proposals:

ASEAN Study on Confiscation of illegally Acquired Assets of Drug Traffickers and Conspiracy.
ASEAN Regional Trainers Seminar/ Workshop for Policy Makers in Preventive Drug Education.
Follow-up Evaluation of Action Programmes Implemented by the Policy Makers who participated in the ASEAN Regional Seminar/Workshop for Policy Makers.
ASEAN Study-Observation for Preventive Drug Education and Community Information Personnel.
ASEAN Workshop for Drug Abuse Prevention.
ASEAN Drug Prevention Film for Campaign 1986.
ASEAN Workshop on Treatment and Rehabilitation.
ASEAN Feasibility Study on the Use of Compulsory Treatment and Rehabilitation System in Singapore and Malaysia.
ASEAN Narcotics Law Enforcement Training Course (1985-1989).
ASEAN Training Course for Drug Abuse Workers in the field of Treatment and Rehabilitation (1985-1989).

The Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Standing Committee in Jakarta in March 1984 decided to place the ASEAN Drug Experts Group under the direct jurisdiction of the Standing Committee. Subsequently the Fifth ASEAN Standing Committee in Jakarta in May 1984 renamed the ASEAN Drug Experts Group to "The ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters" (ASOD).

ASEAN Women's Programme:

The Third Meeting of the ASEAN Women Programme (AWP) was held in Indonesia in February 1984. The AWP emphasized the role of women in national development and the significance of the entry of skilled women into the labour force which would have a positive impact on both national and regional socioeconomic development.

A project on the establishment of Clearing House and Network of ASEAN Women Vocational Training Programme was proposed.

ASEAN Youth

As a result of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Youth in Indonesia in February 1983, the "Declaration of Principles to Strengthen ASEAN Collaboration on Youth" was signed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their 16th Meeting in Bangkok in June 1983. The Expert Group will meet soon to work out a comprehensive youth programme for future cooperation.

ASEAN Health and Nutrition

The Third Meeting of ASEAN Health Ministers was held in Pattaya in March 1984 to review ASEAN cooperation in health and nutrition.

The ASEAN Training Centre for Primary Health Care (ATC/PHC), in Thailand conducted programmes on research and development in primary health care for rural and urban settings. It also provided training courses and organized seminars in primary health care for ASEAN trainees.

Natural Disasters

The Fifth Meeting of ASEAN Experts on Natural Disasters in Singapore in October 1983, explored the possibility of third party funding for the establishment of an ASEAN Natural Disaster Research and Training Centre in the Philippines and a regional training institute in Indonesia.

Labour Cooperation

The project document entitled "ASEAN Industrial Relations" was signed at the Fourth ASEAN-UNDP Dialogue Meeting in Bangkok in February 1984.

This Project was the result of the decision of the ASEAN Labour Ministers to strengthen ASEAN cooperation in the field of labour.

For more information, please refer to the project details