ASEAN pays attention to legal status of women and children
A virtual launch ceremony was held on November 17 for the Regional Report "Promote Sustainable Integration of ASEAN Community through ensuring the legal status of ASEAN women and children.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha affirmed that protecting and promoting the rights of women and children in ASEAN are among commitments of ASEAN high-ranking leaders stipulated in official documents of the bloc, serving as guidelines for activities of ministers and ASEAN agencies.
The establishment of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) on the sidelines of the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi a decade ago elevated ASEAN’s commitment through an official and effective human right mechanism, she noted.
| The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) was inaugurated on 7 April 2010 in Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 16th ASEAN Summit. The ACWC comprises twenty Representatives of ASEAN Member States for women’s rights and children’s rights. Each ACWC Representative serves a term of three years and may be re-appointed for a second term. The government may decide at any time to replace its ACWC Representative without notice or explanation. The first official meeting of the ACWC was conducted in February 2011. |
The commission has affirmed its position in various fields, with a number of initiatives aiming to protect and enhance the rights of women and children of ASEAN during the past 10 years.
Ha voiced her hope that the report’s outcomes will act as a significant foundation for country members, relevant agencies and the UNHCR to consider opportunities and challenges in carrying out recommendations on ensuring women and children’s rights, contributing to sustainable development of vulnerable groups in international and region integration.
The regional report delivered an overview of legal framework and enforcement in ASEAN countries in promoting women and children’s rights.
It put significance on birth registration and citizenship issuance, along with strong commitment of ASEAN members in building a people-centred ASEAN Community.
Outcomes of the report and future cooperation activities with the ACWC were also discussed at the event, with a view to including them in the ACWC work plan for the 2021-25.
Mai Nguyen
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