Press Release of the 13th ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) Meeting

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    The Meeting   was convened  under  the  leadership  of  the  new  chairperson  Mdm.  Lily  Dorianty  Purba, ACWC Indonesia representative for women’s rights. Important outcomes  were  achieved  in  the  Meeting,  including  among  others  the finalisation  of the  ACWC  Work  Plan  for 2016 – 2020.

    Press   Release   of   the   13th ASEAN   Commission   on   the   Promotion   and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) Meeting
     

    SINGAPORE, 5 October 2016 – The Thirteenth Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) was convened  on  3 – *5  October  2016  in  Singapore. Three Representatives for women’s rights  and three Representatives for children’s  rights  were  welcomed  as  new Representatives  from six Member States to  succeed  the  previous ones who  have completed their term of office. New ACWC Representatives are H.E. Hajah Misnah binti Haji Bolhassan from Brunei Darussalam, H.E. Doeuk Han from Cambodia, and H.E. Dr.  Rose  Lena  Lazemi  from Malaysia for women’s rights, and H.E.  Yuyum Fhahni  Paryani  from Indonesia, H.E. Dr.  San  San  Aye  from  Myanmar,  and H.E. Wanchai   Roujanavong   from Thailand  for  children’s  rights.

    The Meeting   was convened  under  the  leadership  of  the  new  chairperson  Mdm.  Lily  Dorianty  Purba, ACWC Indonesia representative for women’s rights. Important outcomes  were  achieved  in  the  Meeting,  including  among  others  the finalisation  of the  ACWC  Work  Plan  for 2016 – 2020.    The  new  five – year Work Plan builds  on  the  accomplishments  and follow – ups  from the  previous Work Plan and includes new  initiatives that are  in  line  with  the  Regional  Plans  of  Action  on Elimination   of   Violence   Against Women   and   Elimination   of   Violence   Against Children. The  ACWC  adopted  16 thematic  areas of  its  projects  and  activities  for implementation in the next 5 years, notably: (i) strengthening institutional capacity of ACWC,  (ii)  elimination  of  violence  against  women  and  children,  (iii)   the  right  of children  to  participate  in  all  affairs  that  affect  them,  (iv)  trafficking  in  women  and children,  (v)  promotion  and  protection  of  the  rights  of  women  and  children  with disabilities,  (vi) Child  Protection  System:  Comprehensive  /  Integrative  Approach  for Children   in   Need   for   Special   Protection   (e.g.   victims   of   abuse   and   neglect, 1trafficking,  child  labour,  children  affected  by  statelessness,  undocumented  migrant children, HIV/AIDS, natural disaster, conflicts, and children in juvenile justice system/  children  in  conflict  with  the  law);  (vii)  the  right  to  early  childhood  and  quality education,   (viii)   promoting   implementation   of   international,   ASEAN   and   other instruments  related  to  the  rights  of  women  and  children,  (ix)  gender  equality  ineducation  (textbook,  curriculum,  equal  access),  (x)  social  impact  of  climate  change on women and children, (xi) strengthening economic rights of women with regards to feminization  of  poverty,  women’s  rights  to  land  and  property,  (xii)  adolescent physical  and  mental  health,  (xiii)  gender  perspective  in  policies,  strategies  and programmes   for   migrant   workers,   (xiv)   gender   mainstreaming,   (xv)   women participation  in  politics  and decision  making,  governance  and  democracy,  and  (xvi) early marriage.

    The  Meeting  noted  three  publications  that had  been  completed by  ACWC, namely:  the Gender  Sensitive  Guideline  for  Handling  of  Women  Victims  of  Trafficking  in Persons,  the ASEAN  Guidelines  for  A  Non-
    Violent  Approach  to  Nurture,  Care  and Development of Children in All Settings, and 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.  The  Regional Review was launched on 28 September 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The ACWC held o pen sessions with UNICEF EAPRO, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Ateneo Human Rights Center and UNHCR.  The open sessions provided  an  opportunity  for  these  bodies  to  share  efforts that  are in  support  of  or complementary with the ACWC priorities and explored possible areas of cooperation in line with the Work Plan 2016 – 2020.

    The  ACWC  also  met  with  the  ASEAN  Committee  on  Women (ACW) on  5  October 2016 during their 3rd ACWC – ACW Consultation Meeting. The ACWC and ACW has been conducting this joint meeting since 2014 in order to follow up joint collaborative projects as well as better synergise on initiatives that are complementary in nature. The  ACWC – ACW Consultation Meeting  finalised  concrete  initiatives  that  will  be jointly implemented  by  the  two  bodies  from  2016 – 2020  including joint  initiatives on mainstreaming gender across all pillars in the ASEAN Community and development of  a  regional  guideline  for  data  collection on violence  against  women.  The  ACWC and ACW agreed to set up ad-hoc joint joint working groups to move ahead with the two initiatives. Other joint initiatives on gender and climate change and promotion of non – gender stereotyping in school curriculum were reviewed.

    The ACWC and ACW supported the Philippines’ initiative to develop a  declaration on  the  gender – responsive  implementation  of  the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for adoption by the ASEAN Summit in 2017. The  14th Meeting  of  the  ACWC  will  be  held on 28  February  to  2  March  2017 in Jakarta.

    Source : www.acwc.asean.org