JAKARTA, 27 May 2022 – The ASEAN Secretariat organised the 18th Coordinating Conference on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (18th SOC-COM) on 24 May under the theme “Promoting and Implementing the Care Economy in ASEAN.”
The discussions focused on implementing the ASEAN Comprehensive Framework on Care Economy (ACFCE) which was adopted at the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits last year. Cooperation in promoting and implementing initiatives and investments to support the well-being of people, communities, and sectors across ASEAN through care work and the care economy, was among the major deliberations.
In his opening remarks, Ekkaphab Phanthavong Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), highlighted that, “the work ahead of us is immense despite the progress we have achieved in protecting different segments of population and in enhancing the health, wellbeing and welfare of our people in ASEAN. We need to consistently invest and continue to push policies and programmes that ensure a sustainable caring society and economy.”
“In the face of the current opportunities and challenges, ASEAN needs more coordinated efforts, agility in our solutions, and a firm commitment to action. In this sense, the ACFCE will play an important role in guiding ASEAN to swiftly respond to the complex crises and challenges through care work and the care economy,” said Dr. Heng Kreng, Director of Scientific Research Department and Alternate SOCA Leader Cambodia from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Cambodia.
Hajah Nor Ashikin binti Haji Johari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and SOCA Leader of Brunei Darussalam, reiterated in the opening session that the ACFCE serves to guide ASEAN’s response to complex crises and challenges ––– such as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, changing demographics, and the climate crisis –––through care work and the care economy. She underscored strong partnership and cooperation remain crucial to its implementation.
Moreover, experts and practitioners shared their experiences from the field and grassroots on the following topics: lessons from the care economy in Australia, disaster management and the care economy in Viet Nam, as well as innovations and digital transformation of dementia and elderly care.
The ASEAN Secretariat also presented on the highlights of the UNESCAP-ASEAN study on unpaid Care Work and Social Protection in ASEAN, and on potential platforms to anchor the ACFCE for greater socio-economic inclusion.
Overall, ASEAN’s efforts towards the advancement of a care economy will focus on six broad strategies that touches on several important areas where economic activities can be generated and benefit vulnerable. These include populations and segments of society, including seniors, persons affected by disasters, families, and those affected by the environment. The conference noted several productive suggestions on the platform and mechanism to anchor ACFCE, and the activities that can be implemented to give this deliverable a head start.
In addition to the Care Economy, the conference also updated on the priorities and deliverables under the ASCC under this year’s ASEAN Chairmanship theme “ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together”, and other cross pillar issues and coordination.
The priorities and deliverables in particular were on the matters related to the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, Consolidated Strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, ASEAN Community Post-2025 Vision, Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to Link ASEAN Responses to Emergencies and Disasters (ASEAN SHIELD), as well as the Roadmap of ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work.
Major trends on climate change, public health emergencies, disaster management, and labour migration were also presented.
SOCA, representatives of Chairs of ASEAN SOM and SEOM, sectoral bodies in ASCC, Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, as well as centres and institutions associated with ASEAN attended the conference. Esteemed speakers, experts and practitioners also shared their field experience and fresh insights on the Care Economy agenda.
The conference was co-chaired by Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Nham Sinith, Deputy Director-General of Policy and Planning and Alternate SOCA Leader Cambodia, and Dr. Heng Kreng.
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