Seventh Press Release of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC)

The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children
(ACWC) concluded its Special Meeting convened on 26-27 September 2013 in Bandar Seri
Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.

Subsequent to the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women
and Elimination of Violence Against Children in ASEAN by the Leaders at the 23rd ASEAN
Summit on 9 October 2013, the ACWC discussed strategies to implement the eight areas of
commitments reflected in the Declaration. A framework of actions was discussed based on the
corresponding projects under the ACWC Work Plan 2012-2016. An inter-sectoral consultation
meeting with other relevant ASEAN bodies and dialogue session with civil society organisations
were planned for February 2014 to socialize the Declaration and explore their potential
contribution to its implementation.

Progress of completed, on-going and planned projects under the ACWC Work Plan 2012-2016
was reviewed at the Meeting. Follow-ups to the projects completed this year were discussed,
notably the launching of the publication of ASEAN best practices in elimination violence against
women and violence against children was planned for 11 December 2013 in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. Recommendations of the Regional Workshop on Promoting the Rights of ASEAN
Women and Children through Effective Implementation of the Common Issues in CEDAW and
CRC Concluding Observations with Focus on Girl Child which was held on 20-22 August 2013
in Da Nang, Viet Nam, were also discussed.

Moving forward, the Social Service Agencies Conference and Training were planned for April
2014 in Singapore. The Workshop on the Promotion of Access to Justice for Women Victims of
VAW Trafficking Cases was scheduled for 3-5 February 2014 in Brunei Darussalam. The
Regional Conference on the Social Impact of Climate Change on Women and Children in
ASEAN was scheduled for March 2014 in Cambodia. Preparation of the annual public campaign
to stop violence against women to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against Women on 25 November next year was discussed. The Regional Study on
Strengthening Economic Rights of Women with regard to Feminization of Poverty Particularly
Women’s Rights to Land and Property was also planned to begin next year.
On 27 November, the ACWC visited “Pusat Bahagia” which is an institution responsible in
conducting programmes and activities to support persons with disabilities / people with special
needs (intellectual, physical, visual and hearing impairment).

The eighth ACWC meeting was scheduled for 17-20 February 2014 at the ASEAN Secretariat,
Jakarta, Indonesia.