The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), under the leadership of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, successfully convened the Regional Learning Forum on Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Child Rights Approach to Public Budgeting on 13-14 May in the Philippines. The event was held in partnership with the Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) and supported by Plan International and Save the Children.
The session gathered 53 participants from across the region, including ACWC representatives, ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, civil society organizations, and UN agencies. Participants engaged in critical discussions reflecting on global and regional commitments to public financing guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Key highlights of the session included a focus on gender-responsive and child-friendly budgeting, emphasizing that effective public budget allocations must ensure equitable resource distribution for all. The event showcased successful public budgeting tools from various ASEAN Member States.
Challenges such as limited gender statistics and competing budget priorities were identified, alongside opportunities to enhance public financing strategies for women and children. The session concluded with interactive discussions and recommendations aimed at advancing the regional agenda on public budgeting. The insights gathered will be further refined and submitted to the ACWC for consideration, helping to inform the next phases of this crucial project.