Brunei Darussalam, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, has assumed chairmanship of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) with the convening of the 20th Meeting of the SOMSWD and Related Meetings, held from December 4 to December 6 via video conference.
This year’s theme is “Strengthening Partnerships for Advancing the Rights and Welfare of Persons with Disabilities”.
The 20th SOMSWD and the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (19th SOMSWD+3) were held from December 5 to December 6.
The Meetings were chaired by the Permanent Secretary (Community), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Hajah Nor Ashikin binti Haji Johari.
The conduct of 20th SOMSWD and Related Meetings signified the first role of Brunei Darussalam as SOMSWD Chair.
Amongst others, deliverables under Brunei Darussalam’s chairmanship include the Mid-Term Review and the End-Term Review of the SOMSWD Work Plan 2021-2025; the Development of the SOMSWD Work Plan 2026-2030; and the Development of the next ASEAN Enabling Masterplan.
During the 20th SOMSWD, the Meeting noted the status of implementation of key regional frameworks led by SOMSWD, the status of implementation of projects under the SOMSWD Work Plan 2021-2025, and the planned development of the SOMSWD Work Plan 2026-2030; as well as noted the areas of support and potential cooperation on social welfare and development agenda with several regional development partners.
During the 19th SOMSWD + 3, the Meeting noted the ongoing and potential collaboration with the ASEAN Plus Three at the regional and national levels, particularly in the areas of care economy, social protection, population ageing and disability inclusion.
Prior to the Meetings, the 19th GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development (19th GO-NGO Forum) was convened online on December 4; which serves as a multi-stakeholder platform and venue for ASEAN Member States, NGOs, private sector, academics, and relevant stakeholders to reflect on the current state of social protection in ASEAN.
This year’s Forum focused on the theme, on the importance of strengthening partnerships between and among relevant stakeholders as an enabling factor to promote the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities.
The forum was co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary (Community), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports as the Chair of SOMSWD and the President of the Brunei Darussalam Council for the Welfare of Persons with Different Abilities of Brunei Darussalam, as NGO Co-Chair, with collaborative support from the ASEAN Disability Forum (ADF).
The Forum was attended by over 100 online participants, consisting of SOMSWD Focal Points, representatives from ASEAN Plus Three countries, representatives from Timor-Leste, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
During the opening session of the 19th GO-NGO Forum, Hajah Nor Ashikin acknowledged that robust, dynamic, and multi-sectoral partnerships are essential in addressing the vast and multifaceted challenges faced by persons with disabilities.
Collaborations and partnerships between governments, civil society, private sector, and PWDs and their families, are essential for PWDs to be empowered to thrive and fully integrated into all aspects of life, thus creating a disability-inclusive society. – James Kon
