ASEAN has actively pursued cooperation in social development. The '5th Meeting of the ASEAN Labour Ministers was held in Manila, 8-9 October 1984 where they discussed issues of mutual interest such as the effects of trade protectionism on labour, migration and labour relations on the international and sub-regional plane.
To promote and to improve labour relations in member countries, the following new project proposals were adopted:
i) the ASEAN Programme for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment;
ii) the Asia Pacific Regional Project on Strengthening of Labour Administration;
iii) ASEAN Labour Information Network (ALINE) which was approved in principle by The ASEAN Standing Committee with the understanding that the implementing agency be vested with ASEAN. The revised project proposals, when approved by the ASEAN Standing Committee, would be forwarded to UNDP for assistance in the next cycle (1 987/9 1 ); and
(iv) ASEAN programme on Industrial Relations for Development Project funded by UNDP which became operational in February 1984. It emanated from the Project, on Promoting the Flow of Information in Labour Relations/Labour Laws (Manila, 28 - 31 August 1984).
A new proposal on the establishment of an ASEAN Centre of Industrial Relations and Related Studies (ACIRLS) for UNDP funding assistance in the next cycle (1987/91) has also been forwarded for consideration by the Standing Committee.
The Committee on Social Development's administrative mechanism, its on-going activities and those of its subsidiary bodies, and new project proposals engaged COSD's attention when it held its Tenth Meeting in Penang, Malaysia, 22 - 26 April 1985.
Measures to bring about better coordination between COSD and its subsidiary bodies as well as that between the national and regional focal Points in order to minimize project proposal duplication were discussed, Measures to revise the organizational structure of the Sub-Committee on Health and Nutrition in its linkage with COSD and the national agencies of member countries were also adopted.
ASEAN Population Programme (APP)
Since 1976, a total of nineteen projects had been jointly undertaken by the ASEAN member countries under the purview of the ASEAN Population Programme. Twelve of these projects (5 under Phase I and 7 under Phase 11) had been completed. The results as well as the findings of the study were referred to ASEAN policy makers and programme managers.
In Phase 111, there are seven projects which are in the process of implementation starting from 1984 to 1987 and funded by Australia amounting to $6 million. Following the Joint Inter-country (Pre-Implementation) Meeting of the Regional Project Coordinators and Country Project Directors of Phase III in Tacloban City, Philippines, in April 1984, separate inter-country meetings were held to review the progress of the projects.
ASEAN Development Education Project (ADEP)
Evaluations were carried out to assess the five Sub-projects:
- Special Education
- Education Management
- Teacher Education
- Work-oriented Education for In-School and Out-of-School youth Test Development
Australia, which funds ADEP, decided at the 9th ASEAN - Australia Forum to extend these sub- projects, already in their fourth year of implementation, for another year from July 1985 to June 1986 so as to enable the finalization of the reports for - dissemination among member countries.
ASEAN Youth Programme (AYP)
The ASEAN Experts Group on Youth, now renamed the ASEAN Youth Forum, decided on the implementation of the following programmes in conjunction with International Youth Year 1985:
Malaysia - Course on A Study on Youth
Entrepreneurship Development, 6 - 13 May 1985.
Indonesia - Scouts Jamboree, July 1985.
Singapore - ASEAN Youth Photographic
Competition and Exhibition,
July 1985.
Brunei - ASEAN Youth Forum, August
Darussalam 1985.
Philippines - Youth Festival of Performing
Arts, September 1985.
Thailand - ASEAN Youth Productivity
Festival, October 1985.
ASEAN Women Programme (AWP)
Major programme activities among others undertaken by the AWP were:
(i) Clearning house on Women in Development To date two experts meetings have been held to discuss the mechanism for implementation, funding and work plan.
(ii) Network of ASEAN Women Vocational Training Programme: Thailand as country coordinator was assigned to ascertain the funding possibilities of the projects through the ASEAN - EC JCC. In the meantime Canada has indicated its willingness to fund a 3-day seminar to be held around September/ October 1985.
(iii) Legal Literacy and Legal Aid. Malaysia has been assigned to undertake a study on the most effective method of implementing the Legal Literacy Programme.
The AWP also adopted the proposal on the need to establish an ASEAN Women's Development Centre where the emphasis would be for the total development of all levels of women in the context of present and future needs. Indonesia has already its own development centre in Yogyakarta with similar objectives.
HEALTH
i) ASEAN Diabetes Prevention and Control Project
The draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the subject prepared by the ASEAN Expert Group is being updated for the approval of the ASEAN Standing Committee.
ii) ASEAN Technical Cooperation on Pharmaceuticals
Phase II (1984/86) activities of the project are progressing. The main objectives of the project is to strengthen national capabilities in drug quality assurance through mutual contributory efforts to ensure a regular supply of safe, effective quality drugs. The WHO also provides technical and financial support of the activities.
iii) ASEAN Scholarship Programme for Applied Tropical Medicine and Public Health (ASP-ATMPH)
From academic year 1981/1982 to 1984/85, 382 trainees from ASEAN member countries were awarded ASP-ATMPH Scholarship to attend the training courses tenable at various institutions for Medical research and faculties of medicine of universities in ASEAN member countries.
It was proposed that USAID continue to support the ASP-ATMPH programme from academic year 1986/87 to 1990/91.
For more information, please refer to project details
