The Vietnamese delegation at the meeting (Source: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 10th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) on strengthening social protection for vulnerable children in ASEAN in Vientiane, Laos on November 21.
Speaking at the event, Thanh affirmed that along with regional efforts, Vietnam has been realising its commitments through many policies for disadvantaged children.
The Vietnamese Government is committed to working with other ASEAN member countries and the international community to promote the enforcement of documents that have been adopted by ASEAN leaders towards inclusive development for all children, with no child left behind, he stressed.
He added that Vietnam has also paid attention to completing legal corridors to ensure the rights, benefits and access of target groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities and children, to basic social services, he added.
The country is working with ASEAN member states to develop an ASEAN declaration on promotion of social work, to be submitted to the ASEAN Summit for approval in 2020, which is expected to be a strategic direction for the development of social work in the region and in each ASEAN member nation in the future, Thanh said.
Participants focused their discussion on strategic priorities in implementing ASEAN’s agenda on social welfare and protection for vulnerable children, the elderly and disabled people, while reviewing the implementation of the work plan on social welfare and development in 2016-2020, defining prioritized fields and making preparations for building a similar plan for 2021-2025.
Ministers and head delegates reaffirmed the importance of encouraging stakeholders’ engagement and a multi-faceted approach at all levels, as well as taking advantage of common strengths, competitive advantages, priorities and available resources to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of children.
They agreed on the importance of incorporating measures in addressing challenges in order to promote social security for children, especially vulnerable children, while discussing strategies to improve welfare and social security systems through sustainable finance and strategically planning for mobilising resources.
Participants also praised efforts of ASEAN senior officials in charge of social welfare and development and the ASEAN Secretariat in implementing relevant initiatives.
The ministers and head delegates highly appreciated achievements made by the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) in the 2016-2020 period, and encouraged the ACWC to continue its efforts to complete the 2021-2025 work plan.
The meeting issued a joint statement and reached consensus on contents of the meeting’s reports./.
VNA
