BANGKOK, 15 December 2021 – The 16th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development took place today, back-to-back with the 17th Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) and related meetings via video conference. It was held under the leadership of SOMSWD Thailand, co-chaired by National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand (NCSWT).
In his remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong said, “with COVID-19 changing the social landscape and increasing the demands for social service delivery to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the region, building an equal, resilient, and inclusive society through engagements with wider stakeholders on social welfare and development has become even more urgent and critical to ASEAN’s recovery. “
The forum served as a multi-stakeholder platform and venue for the ASEAN Member States, NGOs, CSOs, private sector, academia, and relevant stakeholders to share knowledge and experiences on measures and resources needed to advance social welfare and development in ASEAN.
Held under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN”, the forum focused on building a more inclusive and resilient post-pandemic world leaving no one behind.
“I would like to reiterate Thailand’s commitment to expanding and deepening our engagements and partnerships with NGOs, CSOs, the private sector as well as relevant partners and stakeholders. Through these robust engagements and partnerships, I am confident that the goal of building a people-centred Community in ASEAN will be realized”, said Miss Ramrung Worawat, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Co-Chair of SOMSWD Thailand.
“Let’s pay more attention to capacity and empowerment of NGOs, CSOs and relevant actors through capacity -building schemes and initiatives so that they can reach their full potential, perform their duties and functions better, and be able to contribute more to our country and region”, said Professor Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang, NCSWT, Co-Chair of NGO Thailand.
At the forum, the inaugural ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards (AOSWADA) showcased the outstanding achievements of its 2021 awardees to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable groups in their respective Member State. The AOSWADA will be given annually to the awarded NGOs/CSOs, and the private sector with outstanding achievements and contributions from the ASEAN Member States.
The forum also deliberated over recommendations for collective actions on strengthening partnerships towards the betterment of ASEAN. The recommendations encompassed actionable points and ways forward to improve capacity and further enhance engagements of CSOs/NGOs and the private sector in social welfare and development at the national and regional levels.
In forging ahead, ASEAN is committed to harnessing cooperation and strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration on social welfare and development, particularly towards accelerating the implementation of the Strategic Framework on Social Welfare and Development 2021-2025 and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.
Approximately 75 participants attended the forum, including SOMSWD Focal Points, representatives from the government, national NGOs and CSOs, academia, Plus Three countries, International Council on Social Welfare, International Federation of Social Workers, organisations awarded with ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards, ASEAN Secretariat, international organisations and UN agencies, and other delegates from Thailand.
—
