New Report says successful ASEAN integration requires social protection
Social protection is one of the key elements of the successful integration of the ASEAN Community, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
JAKARTA (ILO News): Social protection is one of the key elements of the successful integration of the ASEAN Community, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
ASEAN Member States have already made commendable efforts in extending social protection in their countries, the report says. Four out of 10 have already achieved universal health coverage and the other members have committed to achieving it in the near future. Similar work on improving the education and nutrition of children in ASEAN is also noted.
The report, titled “The State of Social Protection in ASEAN at the Dawn of Integration” was launched on Wednesday, 25 November, in Jakarta, during the tripartite seminar on enhancing social protection within ASEAN community. The launch was attended by representatives of ASEAN Ministries of Labour and Social Welfare, ASEAN Trade Unions and Employers’ Organizations, and development partners.
Published just before the launch of the ASEAN Community next month, the report echoes the findings of the recent ILO and ADB study “ASEAN Community 2015: Managing integration for better jobs and shared prosperity”, in concluding that social protection is a vital component in ensuring that the overall gains of the ASEAN Economic Community are distributed evenly between countries, economic sectors, skill groups, and genders.
However, the human right to social protection remains only partially fulfilled for the large majority of people in the region. Half of the work force have no protection against occupational accidents and diseases. Fewer than one-in-three receive an old-age pension.
The report sets a benchmark for measuring progress in extending social protection floors and systems. Social protection floors guarantee that, in a country, every resident at all age can enjoy income security and access to basic social and health care services. Key recommendations of the report include more risk pooling and redistribution through social insurance and tax-financed schemes, better coordination of social protection interventions, more effective participation of social partners in the design and implementation of schemes, and greater political support for creating the fiscal space to finance social protection floors.
“Accelerating the expansion of social protection is more than ever a necessity to ensure that gains of the ASEAN economic integration translate into shared prosperity and equitable development, and that no one is left behind”, said Francesco d’Ovidio, Director of the ILO Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
The two-day “Tripartite seminar on enhancing social protection in an integrated ASEAN community”, was held from 25-26 November and was attended by representatives of government agencies, workers and employers’ organizations, UN experts and civil society specialists.
Delegates discussed the role of social protection policies in facilitating ASEAN economic, social and cultural integration, as well as measures for smoothing national economic changes and facilitating cross-border social protection. They also discussed ways to expand social protection coverage to migrant workers. The discussions are designed to help policy makers and practitioners enhance their social protection systems and improve coordination.
The meeting was organized with sponsorship from the ILO/Japan – ASEAN Project on Income Security and Employment Services and the ILO’s Canadian government-funded project, Tripartite Action for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.
Further information on the report and seminar can be found at /jakarta/whatwedo/eventsandmeetings/WCMS_389960/lang--en/index.htm
Chief Technical Advisor of the project “Promoting and Building Social Protection and Employment Services in ASEAN” (MAPS Project)
Tel. +66 22 88 1740,
Email
Ms Sophy Fisher
Regional Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel. + 662 (0) 2288 2482
Email
ASEAN Member States have already made commendable efforts in extending social protection in their countries, the report says. Four out of 10 have already achieved universal health coverage and the other members have committed to achieving it in the near future. Similar work on improving the education and nutrition of children in ASEAN is also noted.
The report sets a benchmark for measuring progress in extending social protection floors and systems. Social protection floors guarantee that, in a country, every resident at all ages can enjoy income security and access to basic social and health care services"
The State of Social Protection in ASEAN at the Dawn of Integration
The report, titled “The State of Social Protection in ASEAN at the Dawn of Integration” was launched on Wednesday, 25 November, in Jakarta, during the tripartite seminar on enhancing social protection within ASEAN community. The launch was attended by representatives of ASEAN Ministries of Labour and Social Welfare, ASEAN Trade Unions and Employers’ Organizations, and development partners.
Published just before the launch of the ASEAN Community next month, the report echoes the findings of the recent ILO and ADB study “ASEAN Community 2015: Managing integration for better jobs and shared prosperity”, in concluding that social protection is a vital component in ensuring that the overall gains of the ASEAN Economic Community are distributed evenly between countries, economic sectors, skill groups, and genders.
However, the human right to social protection remains only partially fulfilled for the large majority of people in the region. Half of the work force have no protection against occupational accidents and diseases. Fewer than one-in-three receive an old-age pension.
The report sets a benchmark for measuring progress in extending social protection floors and systems. Social protection floors guarantee that, in a country, every resident at all age can enjoy income security and access to basic social and health care services. Key recommendations of the report include more risk pooling and redistribution through social insurance and tax-financed schemes, better coordination of social protection interventions, more effective participation of social partners in the design and implementation of schemes, and greater political support for creating the fiscal space to finance social protection floors.
“Accelerating the expansion of social protection is more than ever a necessity to ensure that gains of the ASEAN economic integration translate into shared prosperity and equitable development, and that no one is left behind”, said Francesco d’Ovidio, Director of the ILO Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
The two-day “Tripartite seminar on enhancing social protection in an integrated ASEAN community”, was held from 25-26 November and was attended by representatives of government agencies, workers and employers’ organizations, UN experts and civil society specialists.
Delegates discussed the role of social protection policies in facilitating ASEAN economic, social and cultural integration, as well as measures for smoothing national economic changes and facilitating cross-border social protection. They also discussed ways to expand social protection coverage to migrant workers. The discussions are designed to help policy makers and practitioners enhance their social protection systems and improve coordination.
The meeting was organized with sponsorship from the ILO/Japan – ASEAN Project on Income Security and Employment Services and the ILO’s Canadian government-funded project, Tripartite Action for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.
Further information on the report and seminar can be found at /jakarta/whatwedo/eventsandmeetings/WCMS_389960/lang--en/index.htm
For more information please contact:
Ms Celine Peyron BistaChief Technical Advisor of the project “Promoting and Building Social Protection and Employment Services in ASEAN” (MAPS Project)
Tel. +66 22 88 1740,
Ms Sophy Fisher
Regional Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel. + 662 (0) 2288 2482