south east asia and the pacific

Activities

2021

“Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN”
16th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development held in Bangkok, Thailand via Video Conference, 15 December 2021

16th ASEAN GO NGO Forum Report The 16 th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development took place on 15 December 2021 under the leadership of SOMSWD Thailand, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong and Co-chair of NGO Thailand by National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand (NCSWT), Professor Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang. The Forum was held under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN” and focused on building a more inclusive and resilient post-pandemic world based on the notion of leaving no one behind.

Approximately 150 participants attended the forum, including SOMSWD Focal Points, representatives from the government, national NGOs and CSOs, academia, International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), organizations, awarded with ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards, ASEAN Secretariat, international organizations and UN agencies and other delegates from Thailand.

The inaugural ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards (AOSWADA) was held at the forum which showcased the outstanding achievements of its 2021 awardees to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable groups in their respective Member States. The AOSWADA will be given annually to the awarded NGOs/CSOs, and the private sector with outstanding achievements and contributions from the ASEAN Member States.

16th ASEAN GO NGO Forum Report 3 Dr. Suh Sang Mok, President of International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) participated in the Forum as one of the panelists on the first session of Building More Resilient and Inclusive Society through Engagements with Partners. Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, Regional President of ICSW-SEAP joined the Forum and took part in the Workshop session with Dr. Prapaporn Tivayanond Mongkhonvanit, Dean of Global Studies, Thammasat University, on behalf of NCSWT and Dr. Puchong Senanuch, Faculty of Social Administration, Thammasat University, on behalf of ICSW-SEAP in moderating the session on Identifying Recommendations for Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN.

The forum recommendations were formulated. Prof. Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rakspollmuang from NCSWT and Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen of ICSW-SEAP, jointly presented the general recommendations to the 17 th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) on the 16 December 2021 and the general recommendations were endorsed by the SOMSWD Meeting.

To be consistent with the TOR of the ASEAN GO-NGO Forum, the Regional President of ICSW-SEAP joined with Co-Chairs of NGO and government and ASEAN Secretariat to develop agenda and program of the forum. In addition, ICSW-SEAP and NCSWT jointly organized the online Preparatory NGO Meeting with ICSW members and NGO organizations in this SEAP region on the 14 th December 2021. The objective was to discuss and exchange ideas with participants to improve, adjust and refine the preliminary recommendations accordingly of which the recommendations would be taken as key points in the workshop session of the forum.

Recommendations 16th GO-NGO Forum Endorsed (PDF) - 127kB
16th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum Report (PDF) - 309kB

Invitation to the World Social Work Day 2021 Virtual Conference for the Asia and the Pacific Region

16 March 2021, 09.00 -12.00 hrs. (GMT+7)

World Social Work Day is a celebration that aims to highlight the achievements of social work, to raise the visibility of social services for the future of societies, and to defend social justice and human rights. Every year, World Social Work Day is celebrated the third Tuesday of March, it is a celebration that has become a highpoint in the social work calendar with social workers all over the world celebrating and promoting the contributions of the profession to individuals, families, communities and wider society.

Invite to Social Work Day 2021 (PDF)

2020

Social Protection: A Right for All, or A Privilege for A Few?

Regional Conversation organized by ESCAP and the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 2020 SocialProtection ARightForAllOrAPrivilegeForAFew

15th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development held in Bangkok via Teleconference system, 21 September 2020

The Philippines, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) hosted the 15th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development. It was an annual event held within the framework of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) with its theme “Strengthening Family Resilience and Solidarity: Braving the Adversity and Adapting to the New Normal” via teleconference system on September 21, 2020. Amid the pandemic, the role of family is highlighted providing important social support system and protection to children, older persons, persons with disability, and other vulnerable groups. And building family resilience will warrant the much needed support to adapt to the new normal and contribute to a “Cohesive and Stronger ASEAN”. The outcomes of the ASEAN GO-NGO Forum were formatted as General Recommendations (attached) at the meeting. Delegates and representatives of NGOs / CSO, and International Organizations from all 10 ASEAN member states and of the ASEAN Secretariat participated in the meeting.

2020 09 ASEAN GO NGO Group Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, Regional President of ICSW-SEAP joined the meeting and delivered the Intervention of International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW). The Intervention (attached) was diligently worked upon during the online Preparatory NGO Meeting among SEAP’s member organizations. The Preparatory NGO Meeting was organized by the Office of the ICSW-SEAP via teleconference on Friday September 18, 2020.

2020 09 ASEAN GO NGO Attendees The recommendations was presented to the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) and well received on September 22, 2020.

ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare

On 9 July 2020, Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, Regional President of ICSW-SEAP, served as Chair of the Curriculum Working Group on “Global Social Work and Social Welfare” course for ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW). The Training Centre is located at the Office of the Permanent Secretary within Ministry of Social Development and Human Security in Bangkok, Thailand. In preparation of this curriculum, the Chair received collaboration from Department of Social Development and Welfare, Faculty of Social Administration of Thammasat University, and UNICEF. The training for this course will be launched online within this year. The 10 ASEAN member countries will be invited to participate. The training course comprises 30 hour lecture, 6 subjects, and a field trip. Participants will be aware of the current situation of:

Global social change (Social change, New World, Non-Traditional Security)
Social Work and Social Welfare Concepts and Theories
Social policy and International Convention and Commitment
World Organization and cooperation
Roles of International Social Work and Social Welfare Organization
ASEAN and Social Work and Social Welfare in ASEAN

Participants can choose to take a field trip on international cooperation issues in your own country and make a presentation and seminar on the direction of social work and social welfare development at the international level.

2020 07 SEAP ASEAN TrainingCenter 2007 07 SEAP ASEAN TrainingCenter2

Working group meeting for drafting a Declaration on Strengthening Social Work in Realizing a People-Oriented, People-Centered and Inclusive Community

On 7 July 2020, Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, Regional President, International Council on Social Welfare of South East Asia and the Pacific (ICSW-SEAP) and Vice President of Thailand Social Work Professions Council together with representatives of Thailand Social Work Professions Council and Mr. Siripong Sriarkha, Director of ASEAN Affairs, Foreign Affairs Division, as an ASEAN Senior Officials on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) attended the Working group meeting for drafting a Declaration on Strengthening Social Work in Realizing a People-Oriented, People-Centered and Inclusive Community in a Video Conference at the Foreign Affairs Division, 4 th Floor, CP Tower 3, Phaya-Thai, Bangkok, Thailand. Participants of the online meeting was comprising delegation of ASEAN Senior Officials on Social Welfare and Social Development (SOMSWD) and representatives of the ASEAN Social Work Network from Indonesia, Lao-PRD, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Viet-Nam and Thailand and stakeholders. The key objective of the meeting is to consider the first draft of the Declaration in order to achieve an ASEAN Community which realizing a people-oriented, people-centered and inclusive. The Declaration will be an outcome document under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community for certification of the ASEAN leaders at 37 th ASEAN Summit in November 2020 under the ASEAN Chairmanship of Viet-Nam.

Working group meeting for drafting a Declaration (PDF)

ASEAN Regional Conference on Child Online Protection

Bangkok (Thailand), 25 – 27 February 2020: Multi-sectoral government delegations from countries across ASEAN came together in Bangkok for the first ASEAN Regional Conference on Child Online Protection. Joined by UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic experts, young people and the private sector, delegations looked at good practices, identified solutions and looked at ways to accelerate action on protection children online.

President Chinchai Cheecharoen of ICSW-SEAP participated in the Conference during 25-27 February at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

“The online world has no borders and therefore no single sector, no single organization, nor country can effectively tackle online abuse and the exploitation of children alone,” said Marcoluigi Corsi, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific. “Cooperation and collaboration between sectors, government, the private sector and between countries is Children in a Digital World, show that one in three Internet users is a child and more than 175,000 children go online for the first time every day. While the internet and social media provide children and adolescents with unparalleled opportunities to connect, to access and share information, and to access entertainment, it inevitably exposes them to risks of abuse and exploitation and these risks are growing exponentially. It is estimated the approximately 75,000 individuals are online at any one time looking to connect with children for sexual purposes.

This ASEAN meeting builds on the Declaration on the Protection of Children from all forms of Online Abuse and Exploitation, adopted by Heads of ASEAN Member States at the 35th ASEAN Summit last year. The meeting will strengthen knowledge around the Declaration and facilitate exchanges between global thought leaders on best practices of online protection across different sectors and brainstorming for preparatory arrangement for Regional Plan of Action of the Declaration.

This meeting was convened by the Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) Thailand and Thailand Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, SOMSWD Philippines and the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development, together UNICEF, UNODC, and the ITU (International Telecommunication Union).

Source: https://www.unicef.org/eap/pressreleases/asean-and-partners-meet

1st ASEAN Regional Conference on Child Online Protection Images (PDF 236kb)

2018

ICSW SEAP Preparatory NGO Meeting and 13th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum November 2018
From 21-23 November 2018, the 13th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development, 14th SOMSWD, and 13th SOMSWD+3 took place in Singapore. The theme of this year's GO-NGO Forum was “Realising the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.

In the context of the GO-NGO Forum, ICSW SEAP organized a Preparatory NGO Meeting on 20 November. It brought together ICSW members to (i) discuss the work plan of SEAP for 2019, (ii) formulate recommendations for ASEAN, NGOs and disabled people’s organizations (DPOs), and governments to be presented at the GO-NGO Forum, (iii) have an open discussion on social welfare and development issues and formulate recommendations for the agenda of the upcoming AMMSWD that will be hosted by Lao PDR in 2019 and the SOMSWD that will be hosted by the Philippines in 2020.

2018 12 seap1

Recommendations for ASEAN, NGOs and DPOs, and governments, that were formulated during the Preparatory NGO Meeting, focused among others on engaging civil society and NGOs (in particular DPOs), building their capacity, and strengthening the implementation of the Enabling Masterplan.

The open discussion touched upon a variety of topics such as capacity building of NGOs in general, laws and measures of governments to support NGOs, the work of NGOs to meet SDGs and ASEAN Vision.

On 21 November, the Regional President, Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, participated in the GO-NGO Forum and presented the work of ICSW. He emphasized the importance of having the GO-NGO Forum which was set up by ICSW and ASEAN. The first GO-NGO Forum took place in 2006 in Bangkok, Thailand. He also presented the recommendations formulated by NGOs on 20 November. In the afternoon, there was a group discussion on children, working-age adults, and elderly with disabilities.

On 22 November, Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen participated in the 14th SOMSWD meeting where results from the GO-NGO Forum were discussed. During this meeting Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen urged SOMSWD to acknowledge the recommendations formulated by NGOs on 20 November.

2018 12 seap2

Board Member National Council of Indonesia visits ICSW SEAP
On 27 November 2018, Dr. Puji Pujiono, board member of the Indonesian National Council on Social Welfare, visited ICSW SEAP to explore possible avenues for collaboration on social welfare and development issues in the region.

ICSW SEAP at Thailand Social Expo August 2018
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand, in collaboration with related ministries, initiated Thailand Social Expo 2018. From 3-5 August 2018, Thailand Social Expo 2018, under the theme “Brighter Future, Stronger People” was held for the first time in Thailand. The Social Expo offered social innovation including facility for the elder, OTOP (“One Tambon (sub-district) One Product”) and Bangkok brand products, social services, and seminars from specialists. Regional President, Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen participated in different panels including the open ceremony, the second meeting for the network of Experts on Inclusive Entrepreneurship for ASEAN. He also acted as a speaker on the panel on Child Support Grant and Social Protection, Productive Welfare the Way Forward in Thai Society, and The Role of Third Sector in Thai Society and ASEAN.

2017

12th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Strengthening Social Protection to Address Challenges of Ageing Societies
The ICSW SEAP participated in the 12th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum held on 17 October 2017 in Myanmar. The theme of the forum was “Strengthening Social Protection to Address Challenges of Ageing Societies”.

In his welcome address Union Minister of Myanmar Dr. Win Myat Aye underscored the importance of social protection schemes and encouraged inclusive discussion on social protection issues in the context of the priority theme of the Forum.

During the workshop, the NGO participants shared constructive models of partnership between governments and NGOs in addressing issues relating to the expansion of social protection policies and programs for the ageing population and how these can be further enhanced. The discussion revealed the growing importance of finding effective solutions to the social protection of older persons in the region, as well as the rich menu of existing approaches.

ICSW SEAP consolidated and presented points discussed during the workshop in the plenary session. It also presented the conclusions of the national seminar in Kuala Lumpur highlighting various approaches adopted by NGOs in partnership with their respective governments to address the opportunities and challenges of ageing.

2017 12thGO NGOForum 940x400

2016

11th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Strengthening Social Welfare Development in Pursuing ASEAN Community vision 2025
The 11th GO-NGO Forum held on the 24th September 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia, was very effective and productive, discussing the theme “Strengthening Social Welfare Development in Pursuing ASEAN Community vision 2025”. The Forum has become an important platform to discuss the most acute issues of social-economic development, social policy and the welfare mix in the region, providing for a comparison of policy tools as well as of welfare outcomes. The ICSW was represented by Vice-President, Madam Khatijah Suleiman (the President of Malaysian Council of Rehabilitation). Her role was crucial in the preparation of the Forum. The regional Newsletter was also resurrected under her leadership. Recommendations focused on the implementation of the recommendations made in previous GO-NGO forums, along with new approaches. Acting as a co-convener ICSW brought together national member councils from the region and representatives of expert organisations.

2016 11thGO NGOForum 940

2015

10th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Empowering Older Persons in ASEAN
The 10th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum for Social Welfare and Development was held in Malaysia in September 2015. It was devoted to ageing, promotion of social protection, rights of older persons and measures to strengthen their resilience. The ICSW representative for the 10th GO-NGO forum was Vice-President, Madam Khatijah Suleiman, President of Malaysian Council of Rehabilitation. Her role was crucial in the preparation of the Forum, as well as in resurrecting the regional Newsletter. The recommendations from the Forum focused on implementation of the recommendations made in previous GO-NGO forums also charting new approaches. Acting as a co-convener ICSW brought together national member councils from the region and representatives of expert organisations.

2014

9th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Protection Floor
The 9th GO-NGO Forum held on the 24 November, 2014 at Vientiane, Loa PDR was very successful. Participants agreed on SPF initiative and its applicability in the region. The ICSW South East Asia Pacific members from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei presented recommendations on Social Protection Floor to the meeting chaired by the representative of the Ministry Of Security of Loas PDR.

2013

8th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Vulnerable Communities
The 8th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum was held in Cambodia in September 2013. The ICSW was represented by its Vice-President, Madam Khatijah Suleiman (President of Malaysian Council of Rehabilitation). The GO-NGO centered on vulnerable communities. Recommendations formulated during the Forum covered the implementation of the recommendations made in previous GO-NGO forums and charting new approaches. Acting as a co-convener ICSW brought together national member councils from the region and representatives of expert organisations.

2013 8thGO NGOForum 940

2012

The 7th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Services and Social Protection for Vulnerable Groups
The 7th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum for Social Welfare and Development was held in Hanoi in September 2012. It was organised by the ASEAN Secretariat and the Ministry of Social Protection in Hanoi. ICSW facilitated the attendance of civil society leaders from the twelve ASEAN member representatives—from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam as well as Pacific members from Australia and New Zealand.

The declaration adopted by the ASEAN meeting closely aligned with the proposal from the GO-NGO Forum. This was the 7th GO-NGO Forum organised by ICSW and the ASEAN Secretariat. ICSW brought together national member councils of ICSW and representatives of expert organisations.

International workshop - Human rights of older persons in the Asia Pacific region Focus on health and wellbeing Thiruvananthapuram, India, 4-6 June, 2012 (44 KB)

2011