BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, 4 December 2024 – Promoting the rights of all persons with disabilities through strengthening ASEAN’s cooperation and partnerships was the focus of the 19th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development.
Under the theme, “Strengthening Partnerships for Advancing the Rights and Welfare of Persons with Disabilities”, the forum discussed enabling approaches and strategies to promote inclusivity and address systemic barriers to the rights of persons with disabilities.
The forum was led by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam as host and incoming Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development(SOMSWD)Chair and co-chaired by the Council for the Welfare of Persons with Different Abilities of Brunei Darussalam. It provided a platform for governments and civil society to exchange knowledge and experiences on strengthening partnerships in advancing disability inclusion in the region, particularly in education, justice, employment, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
The forum also recognised the important role of private sectors, as well as the positive outcomes of responsible use of technology in building an inclusive society. “Defining successful partnerships within the context of advancing disability rights is essential to guiding ASEAN’s collective efforts and innovative solutions in mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities,” remarked by Hajah Nor Ashikin binti Haji Johari, Permanent Secretary (Community) of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam and incoming Chair of SOMSWD.
She added that in reimagining ASEAN’s cooperation on disability rights beyond 2025, ASEAN must ensure the critical and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and their organisations in ASEAN affairs through active collaboration with the ASEAN Disability Forum and other stakeholders who are championing the rights of persons with disabilities. Moreover, ASEAN must leverage policies and measures that are adaptable to future changes in societal needs which impact on disability inclusion guided by the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Malai Adila Surya Binti Malai Haji Abdullah, President of the Council for the Welfare of Persons with Different Abilities of Brunei Darussalam, applauded the dynamic collaboration of ASEAN with the non–governmental organisations on social welfare and development and the organisations of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025.
“The key to building an inclusive society across ASEAN is the unified voices of persons with disabilities and their organisations as well as the collective actions of the government and non-government organisations and the civil society towards addressing discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion of persons in all spheres of life,” said Sharifah Adila.
During the forum, the participants discussed recommendations on effective and practical approaches in strengthening active partnerships, including with organisations of people with disabilities and the private sector to meaningfully contribute to making rights real for all persons with disabilities across sectors in ASEAN.
The forum also recommended to align the successor ASEAN Enabling Masterplan Post-2025 with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and Strategic Plan Post-2025 as crucial frameworks that will shape ASEAN’s collaboration and partnerships on disability rights.
Around 100 participants attended the forum online, including SOMSWD Focal Points, representatives from the government agencies and non-governmental organisations of ASEAN member countries, Timor-Leste as observer, members of the academia, other international organisations and UN agencies, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
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