Posted from the ASEAN Secretariat website:
The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council convened its First Meeting on 24 August 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and participated by the ASCC Council members of Ministerial rank from ASEAN Member States.
The ASCC Council exchanged views on the priority areas on the socio-cultural pillar for possible deliverables at the 15th ASEAN Summit including on education, the rights of women and children, and social impact of the global financial crisis. The ASCC Council was pleased with the progress of work towards the establishment of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and looked into the possibility of accelerating the finalisation of the draft Terms of Reference of the Commission.
Noting the progress of implementation of strategic objectives and 340 actions set forth in the ASCC Blueprint by over 17 ASEAN sectoral bodies, the ASCC Council also exchanged views on the priority areas and future direction of ASCC. An ASCC communications strategy was discussed by the ASCC Council to enhance public awareness on ASEAN and generate wide participation of stakeholders and the peoples in building the ASEAN Community. The ASCC Council also adopted its Rules of Procedures (ROP).
The ASCC Council was established following the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter on 15 December 2008. As set forth in Article 9 of the ASEAN Charter, the ASCC Council is responsible for, among others, coordinating the work of the different sectors under its purview and on issues which cut across other Community Councils.
In order to realise the objectives of each of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN also established two other Community Councils for the political-security and economic pillars. So far, the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council has met twice with the Second Meeting held on 21 July 2009 in Phuket, Thailand, and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council has met once on 27 February 2009 in Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand. The Second Meeting of the ASCC Council is scheduled for October 2009 back-to-back with the 15th ASEAN Summit in Thailand.
