Articles Category: Social Protection

The tourism sector is a significant contributor to the ASEAN Economy. Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the travel and tourism industry generated approximately 12 per cent of ASEAN’s combined GDP and provided jobs to 42 million ASEAN people (ADB, 2

An ageing population presents a multi-faceted and complex challenge with profound implications. According to the United Nations, a country is “ageing” if more than 7 per cent of its population is aged 65 years and above, “aged” if it exceeds 14 per cen

As ASEAN embarks towards post-2025, conversations on what is next and what is needed for ASEAN in the next 25 years and beyond, have already started. We also continue to ponder the age-old question, “What does it mean to be a part of ASEAN?”

The ASEAN region has made progress in many sectors, but challenges remain, especially in the area of girls’ and women’s access to health and education.  Meryana (not her real name) is a 12-year old girl from Noinbila, a small village in South Central T

The 2022 ASEAN SDG Snapshot Report highlighted ASEAN’s progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the pandemic, the region is likely to fall short on Goa

Bullying of children is becoming a pervasive concern in the region. Director General Luu Quang Tuan shares with The ASEAN, some of the initiatives started by ASEAN to protect children from bullying, both online and offline.

ACWC is a consultative body that supports the work of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development. ACWC Chair and Cambodian Ministry of Women’s Affairs Under Secretary Hou Nirmita talks about the role of the Commission in securing t

Minister Khattiya provides an overview of ASEAN’s goals and strategies for upholding the rights and advancing the well-being of children in the region. She talks about the progress made in terms of protecting children from violence and increasing acces

Suharso Monoarfa has been actively participating in numerous development projects in the country. Those experiences have shaped his career as well as equipped him with various essential soft skills.

Minister Phoeurng discusses Cambodia’s key policies and programmes to develop and support its creative industries, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role that the creative industries play in the country’s post-pandemic recovery pla

UN Women Asia and the Pacific Regional Director Mohammad Naciri discusses the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women, efforts to implement a gender-fair and gendersensitive pandemic recovery plan, and the continuing partnership between UN Women and ASE

UNICEF says approximately one billion children are at an “extremely high risk” of the impacts of the climate change crisis. Research has shown that children born now will face much more extreme weather and other climate disasters than their grandparent

Peter Thipommajan, a 23-year-old economics graduate from National University of Laos, began teaching English informally to children in 2019. From Monday to Friday, he would rent the Saelao Restaurant in Ban Nathong, Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province and h

Pimvadee travels along mountain terrains to remote villages in Lao PDR and Myanmar, working together with rural communities to prepare for natural disasters, such as flooding and landslides.  Living with communities for two weeks for each assignment, s

When Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) struck the Philippines on 7 November 2013, Rowel Balais and his family hunkered down in their home in the town of Palo, Leyte province. Along with Tacloban city, it was one of the hardest hit areas by the

Rili Djohani has worked for over 30 years to protect marine ecosystems and coastal areas in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Her journey in marine conservation began in 1989 when she established the World Wildlife Fund marine conservation programme in Ind

William Wongso has been in the food industry for more than four decades. But slowing down never once crossed his mind.