The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs holds the 10th ASEAN Social Work Consortium Conference (ASWC) via videoconference (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) – As Chair of the ASEAN Social Work Consortium for the 2020 - 2021 period, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs held the 10th ASEAN Social Work Consortium Conference (ASWC) and the regional retreat in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the ASWC via videoconference on September 21.
The event brought together officials and heads of the agencies in charge of the issue of ASEAN countries. The Vietnamese side included representatives from ministries, sectors, associations, the social work faculties of universities and academies, hospitals, and relevant international organisations.
The 10th ASWC takes place on September 21 and 22 under the theme “Social Workers at the Heart of the COVID-19 Recovery”.
At the conference’s open sessions on the first working day, representatives from specialised agencies of ASEAN and partners exchanged viewpoints on the role of social work in the fight against and recovery from COVID-19, focusing on health care and social welfare.
Discussions at the conference will serve as the basis for promoting the building of a professional network of social work and services in the member countries in the time ahead, especially amid the new context.
In addition, international experts provided analyses of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on human’s mental health. They focused on the key role of social workers in minimising the COVID-19 crisis’ impacts, along with the access to mental health and social psychology services necessary for ASEAN people in pandemic response and post-pandemic recovery.
Experts also pointed out the main challenges facing social workers while assisting the provision of essential mental health and care services.
On the second working day, delegates considered and approved the road map for implementing the Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening Social Work Towards Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community. The road map will be submitted to the ASEAN leaders’ summit.
They also completed the work plan for the 2021 - 2025 period and set orientations for the consortium’s activities in the future.
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi at the conference (Photo: VietnamPlus) Addressing the 10th ASWC, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi spoke highly of efforts by the ASEAN Social Work Consortium in helping to promote social work and social welfares in the region. Thanks to the early issuance of terms of reference and detail action plans, as well as the organisation of annual meetings, the consortium has been enhancing the cohesion between social work practitioners, staff, and lecturers and schools providing social work training.
In particular, the publication of the ASEAN Social Work Journal, the establishment of the ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW) in 2019, and the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening Social Work Towards Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community at the 37th ASEAN Summit in 2020 are outstanding outcomes, reflecting the unceasing and applaudable development of social work in ASEAN, he noted./.
| As Chair of the ASEAN Social Work Consortium in 2020 and 2021, Vietnam has coordinated closely with other member countries, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and relevant partners to promote the building and completion of the road map for implementing the Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening Social Work Towards Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community so as to submit it to the 38th ASEAN Summit in October 2021. With seven priority fields to realise the 11 commitments made by ASEAN leaders in the Hanoi Declaration, the road map will help further promote the role of social work as the catalysis in the ASEAN Community, thereby helping to improve social workers’ capacity and achieve integration for vulnerable groups. |
