JAKARTA, 22 March 2021 – ASEAN is leading the advancement of the rights and welfare of women and children in ASEAN through the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

Convened on 22 March 2021 for its 22^nd ACWC Meeting via video conference, the ACWC Representatives from all ten Member States continuously engaged in meaningful conversation to leverage the work of ACWC towards ensuring that no woman and child will be left behind.

In charting a more inclusive, gender-responsive and child-friendly outcome from the initiatives of ACWC, the Meeting deliberated on the finalisation of the ACWC Work Plan 2021-2025, and continued the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Women (RPA on EVAW) and the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children (RPA on EVAC). The next work plan will play a vital role in strengthening ACWC’s efforts to promote and protect the rights of women and children, implement the ASEAN Gender Mainstreaming Strategic Framework, empower women and children as agents of change, build capacities of the Member States, oversee the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of Children from All Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN and the ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Children in the Context of Migration through the development of the Regional Plan of Action for the Protection of Children from All Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN (2021-2025) and the Regional Plan of Action on Implementing the ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Children in the Context of Migration, and ensure a gender-responsive and child-friendly COVID-19 recovery process.

The ACWC also discussed the emerging needs of women and children due to exacerbated vulnerabilities of women and children that include risks from online abuse and bullying.

“It is imperative that women and children are placed at the heart of ASEAN efforts to building back better in post-pandemic era. Therefore, the ACWC is being mindful and decisive of the critical actions that it will take in the next five years to adapt to emerging issues confronting women and children in ASEAN,” said Dato Junaidi Abd. Rahman, the ACWC Chair and Brunei Darussalam’s Representative for Children’s Rights.

In close collaboration with other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies and key development partners, the ACWC will continue to fulfil its mandate to achieve protection and empowerment of all women and children, and contribute to the implementation of cross-sectoral and cross-pillar initiatives. These include, among others, trafficking in persons, women, peace and security agenda, migration, social protection, disability inclusion, legal recognition in relation to the issue on statelessness, and sustainable development.

The ACWC recognised the continued support and readiness for cooperation of UNICEF, UNHCR, and CRC Asia during the Open Session of the 22^nd ACWC Meeting, and looked forward to realising the expressed commitments of the development partners in the implementation of the ACWC Work Plan 2021-2025.

Moving forward, ASEAN, together with the ACWC, will remain inspired by the ambitions in the SDGs situated in the context of the COVID-19 challenges and opportunities.