News

ASEAN countries outline recommendations for extending social protection

ILO Press release, 20 November 2014

BANGKOK (ILO News) - At a two-day seminar organized by the ILO and the ASEAN Secretariat in Bangkok, Thailand, labour and social welfare ministries, workers’ and employers’ organizations from the ASEAN countries reiterated the importance of improving social protection in preparation for ASEAN economic integration.

Speaking at the conference, Ms Thetis Mangahas, Deputy Director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said, “The overall economic gains of ASEAN economic integration in 2015 will not benefit all people equally. Social protection will play a crucial role in supporting those affected by the economic changes, developing skills and promoting employment”.

Participants at the seminar rolled out a range of recommendations aimed at supporting comprehensive social protection schemes, including expanding social protection coverage, improving the governance of social protection schemes, and coordination among ministries and with social partners, and developing a monitoring framework to measure progress in extending social protection in ASEAN.

“The recommendations reflect challenges and views shared among governments, workers and employers, who are committed to turn the principles in the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection and the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No.202) into a reality for all,” said Ms. Celine Peyron Bista, ILO Chief Technical Advisor on Social Security.

The recommendations will be submitted to the ASEAN inter-sectoral consultation on social protection in December for inclusion to the ASEAN Plan of Action for the effective implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection. The meeting was funded by the Governments of Japan and Canada, as part of project work being implemented by the ILO.

Visit the " ASEAN: Promoting and building social protection floors" webpage for more details.

 

Other Archived
26.11.2014