ASEAN Women at the Threshold of Regional Integration

International cooperation Department

Main Contents

I. Situation in ASEAN; II. ASEAN Commitment towards gender

equality; III. Relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies; IV. Decent work for women in ASEAN; V. Work Plan of the ASEAN Commission on

Women (AWC) 2016-2020

One Vision, One Identify, One Community

ASEAN Emblem

Cờ ASEAN Ngày ASEAN 8/8

Situation in ASEAN • ASEAN population (2015): 694 million

– Age 20-54: 51.3% – Gender-balanced population, ratio of 1:1 – Life expectancy at birth continues to increase

across AMS – Women live longer than men in all AMS

(life expectancy gap from 2.9 years (Brunei) to 6.7 years (Thailand)

• Need to be taken into account in setting gender responsive retirement age

Situation in ASEAN • Unemployment rate by gender:

– Women > men: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia Myanmar

– Men > women : Philippines, Singapore, Thailand • Labour force participation by gender:

– Men > women : all AMS – Gap from 16% (Thailand) to 33% (Indonesia)

• Gender disparity in enrollment and attainment rate in secondary and tertiary school levels

• Women are facing greater risk of vulnerability in employment

ASEAN commitment towards gender equality

• Declaration of the Advancement of Women in the ASEAN Region (1988) – Commitment to integrate in national plans the specific

concerns and roles of women as active agents in and beneficiaries of development, and as a productive force to attain the full development of the human personality.

• ASEAN Charter (2008) – To create a single market and production base – To promote sustainable development – To build an ASEAN Community where all sectors of

society participate in and benefit from the process • ASCC Blueprint 2009-2015

Relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies

• Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM) • ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) • ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and

Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC)

• Others as applicable

Decent Work: Job Creation • Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on Youth

Volunteerism and Entrepreneurship (2013) – Entrepreneurship as a career option for youth

• ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network – Enhance capacity of women entrepreneurs for

micro, small, medium-size businesses

Decent Work: Rights of Female Workers

• On-going drafting of an ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers

• ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour – Annual tripartite dialogue

Decent Work: Social Protection • Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection in

ASEAN (2013) • ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network

– Projects and activities to promote OSH

• ASEAN-ILO/Japan Project on Unemployment Insurance

• ASEAN-ILO/Japan Project on Promoting and Building Income Security and Employment Services in ASEAN

• Comparative Study on Labour Laws and Practices of ASEAN Member States (Volume I and II)

• Include “employment for women and gender equality” – Maternity leave: 2-4 months across AMS – Benefits: full payment during maternity leave in 7 AMS

Some observations: • Protection and medical benefits for female workers in

informal sector? • Paternity leave across AMS? • Gender responsive working environment for pregnant or

nursing female workers? • Non gender-discrimination in recruitment, employment,

promotion? • Work-life balance, taking into account women’s domestic

responsibilities?

Decent Work: Social Dialogue • Percentage of female representatives of

employers and employees in national and regional tripartite dialogues? – For example, how about introducing a quota

system for female representation in labour unions as a positive temporary measure?

• Gender trainings for representatives, both men ad women, from three parties?

ACW’s Work Plan 2016-2020 6 Key Priority Areas • Promotion of women leadership; • Non-gender stereotyping and social norm

change; • Gender mainstreaming across the three pillars; • Elimination of violence against women; • Economic empowerment of women; • Protection and empowerment of women in

vulnerable situations

Thank you very much