Cooperation in Social Development
( COSD )
ASEAN has actively pursued cooperation in
social development. The '5th Meeting of the
ASEAN Labour Ministers was held in Manila, 8-9
October 1984 where they discussed issues of
mutual interest such as the effects of trade protectionism
on labour, migration and labour relations
on the international and sub-regional plane.
To promote and to improve labour relations
in member countries, the following new project
proposals were adopted:
i) the ASEAN Programme for the Improvement
of Working Conditions and
Environment;
ii) the Asia Pacific Regional Project on
Strengthening of Labour Administration;
iii) ASEAN Labour Information Network
(ALINE) which was approved in
principle by The ASEAN Standing Committee
with the understanding that the
implementing agency be vested with
ASEAN. The revised project proposals,
when approved by the ASEAN Standing
Committee, would be forwarded to
UNDP for assistance in the next cycle
(1 987/9 1 ); and
(iv) ASEAN programme on Industrial Relations
for Development Project funded by
UNDP which became operational in February 1984.
It emanated from the Project, on
Promoting the Flow of Information in Labour
Relations/Labour Laws
(Manila, 28 - 31 August 1984).
A new proposal on the establishment of
an ASEAN Centre of Industrial Relations
and Related Studies (ACIRLS) for
UNDP funding assistance in the next
cycle (1987/91) has also been forwarded
for consideration by the Standing Committee.
The Committee on Social Development's
administrative mechanism, its on-going activities
and those of its subsidiary bodies, and new project
proposals engaged COSD's attention when it held
its Tenth Meeting in Penang, Malaysia, 22 - 26
April 1985.
Measures to bring about better coordination
between COSD and its subsidiary bodies as well as
that between the national and regional focal Points
in order to minimize project proposal duplication
were discussed, Measures to revise the organizational
structure of the Sub-Committee on Health
and Nutrition in its linkage with COSD and the
national agencies of member countries were also
adopted.
ASEAN Population Programme (APP)
Since 1976, a total of nineteen projects had
been jointly undertaken by the ASEAN member
countries under the purview of the ASEAN
Population Programme. Twelve of these projects (5
under Phase I and 7 under Phase 11) had been
completed. The results as well as the findings of
the study were referred to ASEAN policy makers
and programme managers.
In Phase 111, there are seven projects which
are in the process of implementation starting from
1984 to 1987 and funded by Australia amounting
to $6 million. Following the Joint Inter-country
(Pre-Implementation) Meeting of the Regional Project
Coordinators and Country Project Directors of
Phase III in Tacloban City, Philippines, in April
1984, separate inter-country meetings were held to
review the progress of the projects.
ASEAN Development Education Project (ADEP)
Evaluations were carried out to assess the five
Sub-projects:
- Special Education
- Education Management
- Teacher Education
- Work-oriented Education for In-School
and
Out-of-School youth
Test Development
Australia, which funds ADEP, decided at the
9th ASEAN - Australia Forum to extend these sub-
projects, already in their fourth year of implementation,
for another year from July 1985 to June
1986 so as to enable the finalization of the reports
for - dissemination among member
countries.
ASEAN Youth Programme (AYP)
The ASEAN Experts Group on Youth, now
renamed the ASEAN Youth Forum, decided on
the implementation of the following programmes
in conjunction with International Youth Year
1985:
Malaysia - Course on A Study on Youth
Entrepreneurship Development, 6 - 13 May 1985.
Indonesia - Scouts Jamboree, July 1985.
Singapore - ASEAN Youth Photographic
Competition and Exhibition,
July 1985.
Brunei - ASEAN Youth Forum, August
Darussalam 1985.
Philippines - Youth Festival of Performing
Arts, September 1985.
Thailand - ASEAN Youth Productivity
Festival, October 1985.
ASEAN Women Programme (AWP)
Major programme activities among others
undertaken by the AWP were:
(i) Clearning house on Women in Development
To date two experts meetings have been
held to discuss the mechanism for implementation,
funding and work plan.
(ii) Network of ASEAN Women Vocational
Training Programme:
Thailand as country coordinator was
assigned to ascertain the funding possibilities
of the projects through the ASEAN
- EC JCC. In the meantime Canada has
indicated its willingness to fund a 3-day
seminar to be held around September/
October 1985.
(iii) Legal Literacy and Legal Aid.
Malaysia has been assigned to undertake
a study on the most effective method of
implementing the Legal Literacy Programme.
The AWP also adopted the proposal on the
need to establish an ASEAN Women's Development
Centre where the emphasis would be for the
total development of all levels of women in the
context of present and future needs. Indonesia has
already its own development centre in Yogyakarta
with similar objectives.
HEALTH
i) ASEAN Diabetes Prevention and Control
Project
The draft memorandum of understanding
(MOU) on the subject prepared by the
ASEAN Expert Group is being updated for
the approval of the ASEAN Standing Committee.
ii) ASEAN Technical Cooperation on Pharmaceuticals
Phase II (1984/86) activities of the project
are progressing. The main objectives of the
project is to strengthen national capabilities in
drug quality assurance through mutual contributory
efforts to ensure a regular supply of
safe, effective quality drugs. The WHO also
provides technical and financial support of
the activities.
iii) ASEAN Scholarship Programme for Applied
Tropical Medicine and Public Health
(ASP-ATMPH)
From academic year 1981/1982 to
1984/85, 382 trainees from ASEAN member
countries were awarded ASP-ATMPH Scholarship
to attend the training courses tenable at
various institutions for Medical research and
faculties of medicine of universities in ASEAN
member countries.
It was proposed that USAID continue to
support the ASP-ATMPH programme from
academic year 1986/87 to 1990/91.
For more information, please refer to project details