ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children
The development of the Regional Review on Laws, Policies and Practices within ASEAN relating to the Identification, Management and Treatment of Victims of Trafficking, especially Women and Children are a project of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) under the ACWC Work Plan 2012-2016, and led by H.E. Madame Chongchith Chantharanonh, Lao PDRs Representative to ACWC for Childrens Rights. The successful completion of the Regional Review is due to the contribution of numerous people and organisations.
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“Strengthening Social Welfare Development in
Pursuing ASEAN Community Vision 2025”
29 September 2016, Jakarta, Indonesia
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JAKARTA, 28 September 2016 ? The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) launched the Regional Review on Laws, Policies and Practices within ASEAN related to the identification, management and treatment of victims of trafficking especially women and children today. The Regional Review aims to support the implementation of the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children which was signed by the Heads of States at the 27th ASEAN Summit in November 2015. The Regional Review provides an accurate and up-to-date assessment of the current situations, good practices, and issues for consideration, as well as present recommendations for improvement in responses to victims of trafficking.
The Regional Review was enriched by the results of in-country researches conducted last year through desk reviews, key informant interviews, focused group discussions, and shelter visits. The Regional Review covers the entire spectrum of trafficking in persons, including victim identification and referral, protection, support, and recovery assistance to victims, access to remedies, no detention/prosecution of victims for status offences, return and reintegration of victims, as well as prevention of trafficking. Emphasis is given to the importance of human rights-based approach in combating trafficking in persons and helping the victims.
Through this publication, we are better informed of the necessary changes in the legal frameworks that would lead to fully combat the occurrence of trafficking in the region, underlined H.E. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. However, the launch of the Regional Review is just the beginning of our work. Ensuring that no one is left behind in forging ahead towards the ASEAN Vision 2025, we need to work together to make ASEAN felt and relevant to the people, particularly victims of trafficking in persons, he added.
Madame Lily Purba, ACWC Chair and Indonesias Representative to ACWC for Womens Rights, highlighted that this project is one of the ACWCs initiatives to contribute to the goal of ending violence against women and children. With the adoption of the Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children, and the ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons during the 28th ASEAN Summit in November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the ACWC will be pursuing more initiatives that would address the issue of trafficking in persons in ASEAN in collaboration with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime, ASEAN Committee on Women, the Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development, and other stakeholders.
The Launch was addressed by the Deputy for the Protection of Women and Children of Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs of Indonesia, Representative of Indonesia to AICHR, Deputy Secretary-General for ASCC, US Ambassador to ASEAN, and EU Ambassador to ASEAN. The Launch was attended by ACWC, AICHR, and ASEAN sectoral bodies in charge of transnational crime, social welfare, women, and migrant workers. High-level representatives of the Permanent Missions of ASEAN Member States and Embassies of Dialogue Partners, relevant line ministries of Indonesia, as well as Jakarta-based civil society organisations attended the Launch.
The Regional Review was conducted as part of ACWCs Work Plan 2012-2016 under the coordination of Lao PDRs Representatives for Childrens Rights with the support of Malaysias Representative to ACWC for Childrens Rights and the Philippines Representative for Womens Rights. The project was implemented with the support of the U.S.- ASEAN Partnership for Good Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Development and Security (PROGRESS) and Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (READI) Human Rights Programme.
| No | Country | Representatives on Women’s Rights | Representatives on Children’s Rights |
| 1 | Brunei Darussalam | Dayang Hajah Mordiah bte Haji Jackia | Datin Paduka Hajah Intan bte Haji Mohd Kassim |
| 2 | Cambodia | Mrs. Long Sophally | Mrs. Khiev Bory |
| 3 | Indonesia | Mdm. Lily Dorianty Purba | Mr. Ahmad Taufan Damanik |
| 4 | Lao PDR | Mdm. Soukphaphone Phanit | Ms. Chongchith Chantharanonh |
| 5 | Malaysia | Dato’ Sabariah Hassan | Prof. Datuk Dr. Chiam Heng Keng |
| 6 | Myanmar | Mrs. Daw Mya Mya | (TBC) |
| 7 | Philippines | Prof. Aurora Javate-De Dios | Mdm. Lina B. Laigo |
| 8 | Singapore | Laura Hwang Cheng Lim | Mr. Koh Choon Hui |
| 9 | Thailand | Mrs. Kanda Vajrabhaya | Dr. Saisuree Chutikul |
| 10 | Viet Nam | Ms. Cao Thi Thanh Thuy | Mr. Dang Hoa Nam |
Documentation of Good Practices in ASEAN Member States on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children (EVAWC)
WE, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as “ASEAN”), namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 23rd ASEAN Summit
JAKARTA, 22 February 2016 – The Twelfth Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) was convened on 16-19 February 2016 at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Meeting reviewed the status of projects and activities under the ACWC Work Plan 2012-2016. The Meeting finalised the ASEAN Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) Quality Standards particularly for child-care services (birth to 4 years of age) and pre-school services (4-6 years of age). The ECCDE Quality Standards was developed under the coordination of Malaysia. The Meeting also finalised the ASEAN Guideline for a Non-Violent Approach to Nurture, Care, and Development of Children, in All Settings which was developed under the coordination of Thailand.
Another four draft outcome documents of the ACWCs projects were reviewed by the Meeting, notably: a) draft Progress Report on Womens Rights, Empowerment and Gender Equality led by the Philippines; b) draft Regional Review of the Laws, Policies and Practices within ASEAN Member States Relating to the Identification and Treatment of Victims of Trafficking, especially Women and Children led by Lao PDR; c) outline of the Baseline Study on Child Protection Systems in ASEAN Member States led by Indonesia; and d) outline of the Report on the ACWC Institutional Strengthening led by the Philippines. These four projects would be further discussed at the Special Meeting of ACWC on 31 March ? 3 April 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the view of finalising them.
The Meeting agreed to soft-launch the Network of Social Service Agencies (NOSSA) through the setting up of a website with links to the ASEAN and ACWC websites. This website would be a platform for the thirty three social service agencies, nominated by the ten ASEAN Member States as members, and other stakeholders concerned with violence against women and violence against children to network and share information, knowledge and expertise. The development of the NOSSA website will be led by Singapore with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat.
The Meeting discussed the development of the Work Plan for the next five-year period of 2016-2020, and agreed to carry over sixteen on-going and planned projects under the new Work Plan. The recommendations of the ACWCs completed activities will be reviewed at the 13th ACWC Meeting for consideration of the new Work Plan.
The Meeting agreed to recommend some amendments on the Terms of Reference of ACWC to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) for consideration of adoption.
The Meeting conducted an open session with Mdm. Marta Pais, the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children, to discuss collaboration to support the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Violence against Children (ASEAN RPA on EVAC). Mdm Marta Pais also informed the Meeting of the High Time Movement which is a global movement to stop violence against children in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Study on Violence against Children to which ASEAN Member States have contributed. The Meeting agreed to support the High Time Movement by issuing a Statement on its support.
The Meeting also conducted open sessions with UN Women and UNICEF to discuss, among others, future collaboration to support the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Violence Against Women (ASEAN RPA on EVAW) and ASEAN RPA on EVAC which were adopted at the 27th ASEAN Summit in November 2015.
The Meeting also agreed to provide inputs to the draft publication of UNICEF entitled Legal Protection from Violence: Analysis of Domestic Laws related to Violence against Children in ASEAN.
The Meeting discussed the Workshop on the socialisation of ASEAN RPA on EVAW and ASEAN RPA on EVAC and to explore joint collaboration with CSOs to implement them. The Workshop is jointly organised with the FORUM ASIA.
The Thirteenth ACWC Meeting is scheduled for October 2016 in Singapore.
WE, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), on the occasion of the 12th ACWC Meeting,
UPHOLDING the goals, purposes and principles of ASEAN as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and Blueprints 2025 of the ASEAN Political-Security Community, Economic Community and Socio-Cultural Community;
REAFFIRMING the commitments of ASEAN Member States in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Elimination of Violence Against Children in ASEAN that was adopted at the 23rd ASEAN Summit in October 2013 and the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children that were adopted at the 27th ASEAN Summit in November 2015;
REAFFIRMING FURTHER the commitments of the ACWC to eliminating violence against children as one of the priority areas in the Work Plan 2012-2016;
RECALLING that 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Study on Violence against Children to which ASEAN Member States have contributed;
WELCOMING the adoption of the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development and the start of its process of implementation in 2016 towards the elimination of all forms of violence against children as foreseen in Target 16.2;
RECOGNISING the rights of children to protection from all forms of violence without discrimination of any kind as a fundamental right guaranteed by the Convention on the rights of the Child that all ASEAN Member States are parties to;
ACKNOWLEDGING that the elimination of violence against children is a challenge in all countries and in every society, race, class and culture;
DO HEREBY AGREE TO:
1. Implement our commitment to the elimination of all forms of violence against children in ASEAN Member States as set forth in the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children;
2. Cooperate with and seek technical assistance from UN agencies and other relevant offices within the UN system in the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children, especially the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children (SRSG-VAC) which is in line with the agreement of the ACWC and the SRSG-VAC to pursue collaboration as reflected in their Joint Statement issued on 17 January 2012 in Manila, the Philippines;
3. Express our support to the High Time Movement promoted by the SRSG-VAC and a wide range of partners across regions, which aims to galvanize political will and mobilize wide social support and actions for the protection of children from violence, leaving no child behind;
ADOPTED in Jakarta, Indonesia, this Nineteenth Day of February in the Year Two Thousand and Sixteen, in a single original copy, in the English language.
WE, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as ASEAN), namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia,
the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 23rd ASEAN Summit.
