COOPERATION IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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The 18th Meeting of COSD was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 7 to 10 September 1993. COSD and its subsidiary bodies have made substantial headway in pursuing their respective programmes of cooperation despite the perennial problem of funding constraints. While there has been no positive development regarding the proposed ASEAN Social Development Fund, this has not dampened the interest and enthusiasm of COSD and its subsidiary bodies from pursuing their work.

COSD's commitment to the promotion of social development in the region was underscored by its adoption of a proposal initiated by the ASEAN Secretariat on the preparation of a Plan of action on Social Development. The Plan would provide greater strategic focus to social development policies in the region, suggest new priorities for regional cooperation's and identify funding possibilities.

A draft of the Plan was considered by an- ASEAN Academic and Research Experts Group Meeting on Social Development organized by the ASEAN Secretariat at Jakarta from 28 to 29 March 1994, with funding from JAEP. A revised draft arising from that Meeting has now been circulated to Member Countries by the Secretariat for ad referendum approval

During the period under review, two ASEAN Ministerial Meetings were held on related topics. One was the Third Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social welfare held in Manila from 2 to 3 December 1993, which was preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting from 29 to 30 November 1993. At that Meeting, the Ministers adopted a Resolution on the ASEAN Plan of action for children, which provide the framework for the survival, protection and development of children in the ASEAN region. The Ministers decided that the Plan shall be an integral part of Member Countries efforts in improving the quality of life of their peoples.

The others was 10th ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting held in Singapore from 16 to 17 May 1994, which was preceded by a Senior Official Meeting from 13 to 14 May 1994. The Ministers expressed their grave concern over the move by some develop countries and International Trade Secretariats (Its) to introduce social causes into international trade agreements, and to use this as a condition for gaining market access by developing countries. The Ministers also expressed their developing countries as their proxies to force compliance with ILO labor standards. Such attempts will undermine the competitiveness of developing countries and erode their comparative advantage thereby hurting their economies.

The Ministers emphasize that they did not oppose the application of labour standards and were committed to improving the economic and social concerned with the proposed imposition of rigid labour standards as a new form of protectionism to stifle free trade.

The ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth (ASY) held its 11 th Meeting at Phuket, Thailand, from 3 to 4 May 1994.

For the period under review, seven projects were implemented, namely:

1. Workshop on Inducing Youth Participation in Rural Development, Indonesia, 24-27 June 1993;
   
   
2. ASEAN Youth Day (11), Brunei Darussalam, 5-8 August 1993;
   
   
3. Twinning Programme for Youth Associations of ASEAN, Brunei Darussalam, 1- 14 August 1993;
   
   
4. Workshop on Youth and Cooperative Work (II), Thailand. 10-20 September 1993;
   
   
5. Workshop on Youth Camp Management (II), Thailand, 9-21 September 1993;
   
   
6. ASEAN Workshop on Youth and Tourism, Thailand, 10-20 September 1993;
   
   
7. ASEAN Youth Leadership Training Work- shop (II), Malaysia, 25-31 October 1993.

With the exception of projects (3) and (6), which were funded by the host countries concerned, the rest of the projects were funded under JAEP.

Two projects are ongoing, namely, ASEAN Volunteer Corps Exchange Programme coordinated by Malaysia, and Preparing Rural Youth for a Better Future in Agriculture (Phase II) coordinated by Thailand. Both projects are funded under JAEP.

The ASEAN Secretariat facilitated the approval of the allocation of JAEP funds to the above projects by the JAEP Management Committee in accordance with approved guidelines as well as the timely remittance of project funds to implementing agencies in Member Countries.


Role of Women

The ASEAN Women's Programme (AWP) last met in Singapore at its 12th Meeting from 21-23 April 1993. Its next meeting is tentatively scheduled in August 1994 in Thailand. This will mark the turnover of AWP's chairmanship from Singapore to Thailand.


Health and Nutrition

The 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Health and Nutrition (ASCH&N) was held in Singapore from 29 June to I July 1993. At that Meeting, ASCH&N adopted the following mission statement:

"To promote and maintain good health and nutrition in ASEAN as an integral part of the overall socioeconomic development through close cooperation among Member Countries and appropriate national and regional health development policies and programmes".

ASCH&N also identified the following priority areas of cooperation: prevention and control of communicable diseases (including HIV/AIDS) and non-communicable diseases especially those associated with ageing and changing lifestyles; nutrition; primary health care delivery; prevention of injuries with emphasis on traffic, occupational and home injuries-, environmental health; quality assurance and availability of pharmaceuticals.

ASCH&N also agreed to submit to COSD the recommendation of the Task Force on AIDS for the latter to be constituted as a permanent body reporting directly to COSD, rather than as an ad hoc body reporting through ASCH&N. This was in recognition that the HIV/AIDS problem has become not only a health issue but has also covered varied and multi-sectoral concerns (e.g. education, economic, social, cultural, legal, etc.).

The project on Technical Cooperation in Pharmaceuticals Among ASEAN Countries is on going. For 1993, the project received financial support from WHO. Activities included the engagement of consultants and advisers as well as fellowship training in drug evaluation, strengthening of quality assurance and non- pharmacopoeial analytical method, and production and utilization of regional standards and reference substances. In addition, the project received support from the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association which sponsored a meeting on the Production and Utilization of Reference Substances held in Thailand from 30 November to 2 December 1993.


Education

The Second Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Education (ASCOE) was held in Kuala Lumpur from 10 to 12 January 1994. ASCOE reviewed, among other items, the status of follow- up actions taken with regard to the Fourth Summit decisions concerning ASEAN University Networking and Integrating ASEAN Studies in the Primary and Secondary Schools Curricula.

Following the Consultative Meeting of the ASEAN Group on ASEAN University Networking, ASCOE accepted the offer of Thailand to host an Experts Group Meeting to be held in 1994 which will formulate a five-year programme of action to implement the recommendations.

ASCOE also adopted a proposed project on Integrating ASEAN Studies in the Primary and Secondary Schools Curricula for submission to the 19th COSD Meeting scheduled in the second half of 1994.

During the period under review, Australia hosted the ASEAN-Australia Workshop on Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training, which was held in Brisbane from 9 to 11 November 1993. Representatives from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia participated in the Workshop as Observers. A number of proposals were identified for possible collaboration in three areas, namely, tourism and hospitality, agriculture, and engineering. Project implementation arrangements would be determined after the workshop report was submitted to the 16th ASEAN-Australia Forum held from 3 to 4 May 1994 in Australia.


Disaster Management

The 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Experts Group on Natural Disasters was held in Langkawi, Malaysia, from 9 to 11 August 1993. The Experts Group, taking into consideration the increasing frequency of "man-made" disasters in the ASEAN region due to rapid industrialization and the need to address the concerns of Member Countries less affected by natural disasters, agreed to expand its purview to include "sudden man-made disasters".

Accordingly, the Experts Group agreed to have its name changed to the ASEAN Experts Group on Disaster Management in order to reflect its expanded purview. The Experts Group also adopted the following :

"To enhance regional cooperation in all aspects of disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparation, response and recovery through mutual assistance activities in order to minimize the adverse consequences of disasters on the economic and social development in Member Countries".

The Experts Group also agreed to focus on the following categories of disaster:

1. Natural Disasters
   
   "Sudden natural" disasters: earthquake, aftershock, flood, flash flood, dam collapse, heat wave, typhoon, storm, hail, storm surge, thunderstorm, tropical storm, insect/animal infestation, landslide, tidal wave (tsunami), volcanic eruption and glowing avalanche, among others; and
   
   
2. Man-made Disasters
   
   "Sudden man-made" disasters: structural collapse, building collapse, mine collapse or cave-in, air disaster, land disaster, sea disaster, industrial, technological accident, explosion, chemical explosion, nuclear explosion, mine explosion, pollution, acid rain, chemical pollution, atmosphere pollution, oil pollution, fire, forest/grassland fire, among others.
   
   An ongoing activity of the Experts Group is the publication of the ASEAN Natural Disasters Information Network (ANDIN) Newsletter. Indonesia was in charge of the publication of the first six issues of the newsletter. Malaysia has taken over the publication of the next series as of November 1993. The project is funded under JAEP.
   
   In observance of the International Decade for Natural Disasters Reduction (IDNDR), the Experts Group agreed that each Member Country commemorate IDNDR Day on the second Wednesday of October each year and that the Chairman of the Experts Group issue a joint statement on the said occasion.

Labor

The 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Labor Affairs (ASCLA) was held in Manila from 24 to 25 March 1994. The Meeting reviewed, among others, the status of follow-up actions taken on the recommendations and decisions of the 9th ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting (ALMM) held at Manila in November 1992. The Meeting also considered and endorsed the Provisional Agenda for the 10th ALMM for the consideration of the Senior Officials Meeting scheduled in Singapore from 13 to 17 May 1994.

ASCLA discussed in depth the continuing concerns over activities of International Trade Secretariats to pressure developing countries to strictly comply with rigid labor standards and to use such standards to measure social justice in developing countries. ASCLA agreed that ASEAN should continue to speak with one voice and adopt a common position on the continuing activities of International Trade Secretariats as they relate to the linking of trade with social clauses.

These same concern were raised at the 10th ALMM. At that Meeting, the ASEAN Labor Ministers expressed their grave concern over the move by some developed countries and International Trade Secretariats (ITSS) to introduce social clauses into international trade agreements, and to use their compliance as a condition for gaining market access by developing countries. The Ministers further voiced their concern that some ITSs were using local trade unions as their proxies to force compliance with ILO labor standards. Such attempts would undermine the competitiveness of developing countries and erode their comparative advantage thereby hurting their economies. Poor economic conditions in the developing countries would have detrimental effects on the social well-being and living standards of their peoples. This in turn would have adverse consequences on the economies of the developed countries. The Ministers therefore urged the ILO to strongly resist any attempt to introduce new conditionalities linking social clauses and ILO labor standards with market accessibility.

The Ministers emphasized that they are not op- posed to the application of labor standards and are committed to improving the economic and social well-being of workers. However, they are concerned with the proposed imposition of the use of rigid labour standards to stifle free trade and economic development which constitutes a new form of protectionism.

The Ministers were of the view that given their different levels of economic development, developing countries should not be pressured to comply with standards which were mainly based on those of the advanced and developed countries. The Ministers called upon the ILO to undertake a review of outdated labor standards as a follow-up of the ILO Director-General Report, taking into account the special circumstances and peculiarities of the developing countries, and to be more flexible in the implementation of labor standards. They also urged the ILO to give proper attention to the overall progress in the social and economic conditions of member states in its assessment of their compliance with the ratified ILO Conventions.

The ASEAN Labor Ministers adopted the following mission statement of ASCLA to guide ASEAN cooperation in the field of labor and human resource development: "To promote socioeconomic development and stability in the region through the implementation of regional cooperative programmes to help bring about industrial harmony, higher productivity, the efficient use of human resources, greater employment opportunities and an enhanced quality of life for the workers."

As a follow-up to the 9th ALMM, ASCLA is coordinating with the ILO regarding the finalization of a project document for the ASEAN Programme on Industrial Relations, which would tap the technical assistance/services of the ILO in the organization of national and sub-regional work- shops/seminars and training activities.

In the meantime, technical cooperation among the Member Countries in various topics within the context of TCDC has been increasing through the years. Some of these TCDC activities during the period under review included the following: training attachment in Malaysia of six Thai officials to study social security systems a d two Indonesian trainees to study labor migration issues; participation of Philippine resource speakers in seminars held in Brunei Darussalam on "Migrant Workers and Cross Cultural Issues in Industrial Relations", in Bangkok on "Vocational Rehabilitation Policies and Programmes". and in Malang, Indonesia, on "Occupational Safety and Health". Singapore offered training awards in industrial relations, industrial health, and industrial safety.


Children

Following the designation of ASEAN Desk Officers for Children, a Consultative Workshop of the ASEAN Desk Officers for Children was held in Manila from 2 to 4 November 1993. UNICEF provided funding and technical support to the Workshop. The ASEAN Secretariat provided technical advice and assisted in coordinating arrangements.

The Workshop proved very productive. Among other items, the Desk Officers reviewed current activities and projects on children; considered and adopted the Guidelines/Terms of Reference of ASEAN Desk Officers for Children; discussed and identified problems pertaining to children's issues; recommended a list of solutions to address these problems, including implementing strategies and priority projects for child survival, protection and development.

Most importantly, the Workshop considered and endorsed a Draft ASEAN Plan of Action for Children. The Plan of Action was subsequently adopted in a resolution signed by the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare at their 3rd Meeting held in Manila from 2 to 3 December 1993. The Plan of Action provides the framework for promoting regional cooperation for the survival, protection and development of children of Member Countries. It shall be an integral part of the national efforts of Member Countries to improve the quality of life, especially that of children.


ASEAN Task Force on AIDS

Following the 1 st Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on AIDS held in Jakarta from 31 March to 2 April 1993, COSD at its 18th Meeting considered the recommendation of the Task Force that it be constituted as a permanent body reporting directly to COSD rather than ASCH&N. COSD, however, decided to defer decision on the recommendation and agreed that the Task Force would continue as an ad-hoc body reporting directly to COSD. COSD also emphasized that the Task Force should maintain linkages with relevant ASEAN Sub- Committees on the issue of HIV/AIDS.

The Task Force met again in Malaysia in June 1994. The ASEAN Secretariat is coordinating with the designated focal points for the Task Force regarding their submission of project proposals for consolidation into a Five-Year Regional Programme on HIV-AIDS.


Other Activities

As a follow-up to the decisions of the 2nd Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare held in Kuala Lumpur in March 1990, Brunei Darussalam hosted an Experts Group Meeting on ASEAN Sports Activities for the Disabled from 25 to 28 October 1993. The Meeting reviewed sports programmes and activities for the disabled in ASEAN Member Countries, discussed current issues on the subject and suitable programmes for regional cooperation.

Another activity undertaken during the year was an Experts Group Meeting on the Establishment of Linkages Among National Adoption Agencies in ASEAN held in Bandar Seri Begawan from 8 to 10 November 1993. The Meeting was aimed at minimizing the problems of outflow/inflow of babies/children for adoption among Member Countries, to promote information exchange and provide data support on adoption-related issues in the region, and to establish a network/information center on adoption-related issues.