6. Youth is the FUTURE and the NOW in
ASEAN Community Building
The most important forces in the world are now shifting from state
actors to people actors. ASEAN is not an exception.
Therefore, the needs of ASEAN to shift its perspective from a statecentered focus to a more people-centered focus is inevitable
The focus on youth participation and empowerment of youth is vital for
ASEAN integration. It should be supported by both the government
and young people themselves.
Young people were part of the solution to the problems raised in
ASEAN. Young people are well known as an engine of change.
7. ASEAN’s Commitments
the 1983 Declaration of Principles to Strengthen ASEAN Collaboration on
Youth, the 1997 Kuala Lumpur Agenda on ASEAN Youth Development
the 2000 Yangon Declaration on Preparing ASEAN Youth for the
Challenges of Globalization
the 2001 Declaration on the Commitments for Children in ASEAN
the 2003 Manila Declaration on Strengthening Participation in
Sustainable Youth Employment,
the 2010 Hanoi Declaration on the Enhancement of Welfare and
Development of ASEAN Women and Children.
Youth has also been mentioned the SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY
PILLAR as partners and beneficiaries in achieving goals for well-being.
8. How to make ASEAN’s
socio-cultural pillar work?
One of the aim of the Socio-Cultural is to make an ASEAN, a cohesive
community. This purpose cannot be achieved without the young people.
There is a need to shift mindset in ASEAN to young people as an
investment for sustaining ASEAN Community and treat them as subject
rather than as object. Moreover, the governments should provide a good
environment to young people to express themselves.
At the same time, young people should believe that they have the
capabilities to bring in changes. The capabilities should then be
transformed into action by giving advice, insights, recommendations and
inventions to ASEAN member states.
Contributions are what the governments need.
9. What Youth can do?
Young people may not be necessarily influential to change the ASEAN.
But if they speak with one voice and talk to their respective government on certain
issues, they can be an influential element in Community Building
The problem is how to make them speak in unity and cross the “boundaries of
mind” to realize a youth-centered ASEAN
Youth can channel their aspirations through various spaces like at home, school
and religious institutions, community, society-at-large, and in the international
forums such as ASEAN. Using various medium: social network, blogs, opinion etc
In a form of a) consultative process, b) participative process and c) promoting
advocacy. It is important for youth to get themselves organized and start
identifying some partners in promoting their role in ASEAN Community building
10. ASEAN Youth Forum, an annual
meeting of the youth (since 2009)
Photo courtesy of Jaruwan Supolrai, Regional Coordinator/ASEAN Youth Movement (Thailand), 2013
11. Brief info about AYM
Initiated in 2008 by Thai Volunteer Service Foundation and its youth networks in
Mekong Region
Organized 6 venues (AYFs), in 4 countries, 430 participants, 30 organizations
Served as an “open space”, a regional platform for participatory learning
process for youth from diverse countries in Southeast Asia and beyond
Led and empowered by country coordinators and core-members, in coordination
and communication through social network and have online meeting online
regularly
Driven by advocacy and media work: AYM Magazine, Blog and FB 6,600 fans
Built up based on borderless solidarity, regional effort, friendship, spirit of
sharing and creative cultural exchange among participants
With the sense of ownership and hope for a promise of a just, more peaceful and
sustainable future in the region
Source: Jaruwan Supolrai, Regional Coordinator/ASEAN Youth Movement (Thailand), 2013
12. CSO Platforms in engaging ASEAN
Name
frequent
Engaging the body
ACSC/APF
annually
ASEAN SUMMIT
Head of
States/Government
s
ASEAN Disability Forum (ADF)
annually
ASEAN Youth Forum
annually
ASEAN Grass-root People
Assembly
annually
ASEAN Community Dialogue
annually
ASEAN Committee Permanent
Representatives (CPR)
CPR
Civil Society Forum to AMM on
human rights
annually
ASEAN Ministers Meeting
(AMM)
Foreign Ministers
Informal Dialogue between CSO
and ASG
annually
ASEAN Secretary General
(ASG)
Secretary General
Jakarta Human Rights Dialogue in
ASEAN
annually
ASEAN Human Rights
Mechanisms
AICHR, ACWC
GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare
& Development
annually
ASEAN Senior Official
Meeting on SWD
SOM officials
13. ASEAN Civil Society Conferences/ASEAN
Peoples Forums 2005-2012
Year
Place
The Name of the Event
2005
Shah Alam,
Malaysia
1st ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)
2006
Cebu, the
Philippines
2nd ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)
2007
Singapore
3rd ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)
2009
Bangkok,
Thailand
4th ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ 1st ASEAN
Peoples’ Forum (APF)
2009
Hua Hin,
Thailand
5th ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/2nd ASEAN
Peoples’ Forum (APF)
2010
Hanoi, Vietnam
6th ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF)
2011
Jakarta,
Indonesia
ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ ASEAN Peoples’
Forum (APF) 2011
2012
Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ ASEAN Peoples’
Forum (APF) 2012 – March & November
2013
Brunei
ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ ASEAN Peoples’
Forum (APF) 2013 – April 6-8
2014
Myanmar
?
14. CSO/NGO and Young People in ACSC/APF
Malysia 2005
Cebu 2006
Singapore 2007
Bangkok 2009
Cha Am 2009
Hanoi 2010
Jakarata 2011
Phnom Penh 2012
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
15. Thematic Engagements with ASEAN
Human Rights
Labor and Migrants
Agriculture and Trade Issues
Food Sovereignty and Land-related
issues
Extractives Industries: mining, gas, oil
Large scale dev. projects: dams
Environment/ Climate Justice
Housing Rights
Gender
Child Rights
Youth Participation
Refugees / Stateless Peoples/
Internally Displaced Peoples
Indigenous Peoples
Communication Rights and Freedom
of Information
Burma
Peace and Conflict, etc
16. +
Our collective knowledge we produced
through 8 years’ ACSC/APF?
ASEAN’s Alternative Regionalism
(Source: HRWG Study, 2011)
• Particularly:
Women &
Youth, Indigenous
People / Ethnic
Minority, and CSOs
•
•
•
•
CSO
Participation
in Decision
Making
Process
Adoption of
Basic
Universal
Values
Holistic rightsbased
approach on
Developmen
t (1,2,4,5,6,7)
Adoption of
UN Bodies’
related
Conventions
(1,2,3,6,7)
• Against unjust
FTA, privatization,
• Reject neoliberal
economic policies
Democracy
Human Rights
Transparency
Accountability
(3,4,5,6,7)
(1,2,4,5,6,7)
• Mainly:
ILO, UNFCCC, CED
AW, UNCRC, UNDR
IP, &MDGs
