The 3rd ASEAN + Civil Society Conference or ACSC 3, under the theme “Moving Forward – Building an ASEAN+ People’s Agenda” , took place in Singapore in November 2-4. About 200 participants from civil society organizations and trade unions across Southeast Asia gathered to discuss issues of common concerns to people’s lives in the context of the upcoming 13th ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Summit which is scheduled to take action on the adoption of an ASEAN Charter.
As member of the Regional Steering Committee responsible for the ACSC3 organizing, AsiaDHRRA actively took part in the conference, together with partners from DHRRA Malaysia and Bina Desa, and AFA. DHRRA Malaysia joined in the symbolic opening of the conference plenary with the sharing of issues confronted by displaced Indian women in Malaysia.
It also co-organized a workshop panel on “Roadmap towards a Sustainable Rural Development in ASEAN” with AFA, Focus on the Global South, and Third World Network. Main speakers were from the farmers, fishers and Indigenous Peoples’ sectors. A presentation on a possible roadmap to sustain an effective engagement work with various policy making bodies took place and action steps to follow thru on the process of strengthening the ranks of CSOs on rural development were identified.
A conference statement highlighted the CSOs call for more transparency and participation in the process of signing the ASEAN Charter and the CSO solidarity calls given the serious human rights violations happening in Myanmar or Burma.
Click here to read the ACSC3 statement