The ASEAN Committee on Social Development (COSD) held its 16th Meeting on 17-20 September 1991 in Singapore. The Meeting marked the first year of Singapore's chairmanship of COSD for the triennium 1991 - 1993, following the usual ASEAN practice of rotation. The year 1991 also marked the first year of the assumption of the function of COSD-ITS by the ASEAN Secretariat.

ASEAN Social Development Fund
2 COSD continued to address a wide range of important topics on social issues and human resource development. However, many of its projects have been stalled because of funding constraints. In order to address this problem, COSD has proposed the establishment of an ASEAN Social Development Fund (ASDF) and has sought the assistance of the Japanese Government by way of contribution in the form of seed money to start up the Fund. During the period under review, informal consultations continued between ASEAN and relevant Japanese authorities regarding the proposal.

Highlights of COSD Activities
3 The following subsidiary bodies under COSD held their meetings during the year:

a) 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth, Singapore, 3-5 March 1992

b) l1th Meeting of the ASEAN Women's Programme, Singapore, 22-24 April 1992.

Youth

4 The ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth (ASY), once again had a fairly successful year in terms of projects that had been implemented and those that had obtained funding for their implementation, e.g.

Completed

- ASEAN Youth Leadership Training Workshop, 14-21 May 1991, Malaysia (JAEP)

- ASEAN Young Workers Forum, 3-10 September 1991, Philippines (JAEP)

On-Going

- Preparing Rural Youth for a Better Future in Agriculture, 1990-1994, Thailand (JAEP)

- Workshop on Training for Programme Managers and Associated Personnel on Skill Training for Out-of-School Youth, 1991-1993, Malaysia (JAEP)

Pending

- Handicraft Workshop for ASEAN Youth, 10-12 September 1992, Thailand (JAEP)

- Computer Application Camp for ASEAN Youth Workers, 4-10 May 1992, Singapore (JAEP)

- Exchange Programme for ASEAN Junior Youth Development Officers, June 1992, Philippines (JAEP)

- Workshop on Youth Entrepreneurship Development, October 1992, Malaysia (JAEP)

- ASEAN Youth Day, 6-8 August 1992, Indonesia (JAEP)

- Workshop on Youth and Cooperative Work, 10-21 September 1992, Thailand (JAEP)

- ASEAN Volunteer Corps Exchange Programme, June 1992, Malaysia (JAEP)

Women

5 At the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Women's Programme (AWP) held on 22-24 April 1992 in Singapore, it was noted that the status of women in general was reported to be still quite dismal, although ASEAN women have made better headway than their counterparts in the ESCAP region.

6 Cooperative efforts continue under the auspices of AWP to promote the advancement and integration of women's concerns. AWP now has under its consideration proposed sets of guidelines to operationalize the implementation of the Declaration on the Advancement of Women in the ASEAN Region signed in 1988 and the Mainstreaming of Women in ASEAN. The guidelines are due for ad referendum approval by member countries by end of June 1992.

7 One significant landmark has been achieved in AWP's cooperative efforts, i.e. the completion and publication of the first edition of the Thesaurus on Women in Development under the leadership of Indonesia. A follow-up activity, i.e. the convening of an ASEAN Experts Meeting on Future Cooperation Among ASEAN Clearinghouses on Women in Development will be undertaken on 6-8 October 1992 in Indonesia with JAEP funding to provide a venue for developing insights, networking and cooperation among clearinghouses in ASEAN.

8 Another project which was successfully undertaken was the holding of an Experts' Group Meeting on Women's Studies Development on 21-23 January 1992 in Malaysia with JAEP funding support. The Experts recommendations have spun off into the further development of new project proposals.

9 A very welcome development at the last meeting was the news received about CIDA's approval in principle to fund the following AWP projects:

a) Network on Indicators and Statistics on Women (Philippines)

b) Prevention of Family Violence (Philippines)

c) Network of Vocational Training for Women (Thailand) which is also submitted to UNDP for joint funding.

10 Even with Such positive news of funding support, AWP has recognized that funding constraints continue to hamper its cooperative efforts. This recognition has translated into fewer new project proposals being proposed for AWP consideration.

Health and Nutrition

11 The ASEAN Sub-Committee on Health and Nutrition (ASCH&N) has not met since its 9th Meeting held on 23-25 April 1991 in Singapore.

12 However, the ASEAN Ministers of Health gathered together and held their Fourth Meeting on 4-5 December 1991 in Indonesia. During that Meeting, the ASEAN Ministers of Health recognized two major threats to the health of the peoples in ASEAN: HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation and pollution that arise mainly from rapid industrialization and urbanization. Consequently, the Ministers adopted a proposal for the Exchange of Health Information in ASEAN with emphasis on AIDS and Environment.

Relevant Decisions of the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government.

13 A number of the decisions emanating from the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government held in January 1992 in Singapore concerning functional cooperation fall within the purview of COSD, e.g.

a. the expansion of ASEAN studies as part of Southeast Asian Studies in the school and university curricula and the introduction of ASEAN student exchange programmes at the secondary and tertiary levels of education;

b. the strengthening of the existing network of the leading universities and institutions of higher learning in the ASEAN region with a view to ultimately establishing an ASEAN University;

NOTE : Items (a) and (b) above are the concerns of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Education under COSD which will meet for the first time in Indonesia in 1992.

c. wider involvement and increased participation by women in the development of the ASEAN Countries in order to meet their needs and aspirations;

d. encouraging the exchange of information among NGOs in the region and helping expand their participation in intra-ASEAN functional cooperation;

e. curbing the spread of AIDS by exchanging information on AIDS, particularly in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes against the deadly disease.

Conclusion

14 COSD continued to confront funding difficulties in the implementation of its programmes/ projects. More and more, ASEAN is compelled to look inward and rely on internal sources of funding. This setback, while openly acknowledged, has not diminished COSD's resolve to bring to successful tuition the articulation of ASEAN's policy of promoting social development in the region.

For more information, please refer to the project details