The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) is one of the three pillars of ASEAN, in addition to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC). ASCC's main objective is to strengthen and promote the social, cultural and human dimensions of ASEAN cooperation. Its primary focus is building a unified, inclusive and sustainable ASEAN community.
Some of the important aspects in ASCC are:
- ASEAN Identity: ASCC seeks to strengthen the sense of ASEAN identity among the people of Member States. This is carried out through promotion and understanding of culture, history, traditions and cultural diversity in ASEAN.
- Social welfare: ASCC aims to improve the quality of life of ASEAN community. This involves promoting fair and equitable access to health, education, employment, housing and other social services.
- Cultural diversity: ASCC values and promotes cultural diversity among ASEAN countries. This includes promotion of art, literature, performances, and the preservation of cultural heritage and historical sites.
- Child and family well-being: ASCC is committed to protecting children's rights and enhancing the well-being of families in ASEAN. This includes child protection, child education, and the promotion of gender equality.
- Women empowerment: ASCC supports women's empowerment and gender equality in ASEAN. This includes women's participation in decision-making, equal access to education and economic opportunities, and the elimination of violence against women.
- Environment: ASCC also has a focus on protecting and preserving the environment in the ASEAN region. This aspect covers issues such as water management, waste management, nature conservation, and tackling climate change.
Through cooperation within the ASCC, ASEAN countries seek to build a just, inclusive and sustainable society across the region. By strengthening the social, cultural and human dimensions, ASEAN hopes to achieve balanced and comprehensive development throughout the region.
The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) was initiated in 2003 as part of the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community 2009-2015. ASCC implementation takes place in several phases, with the aim of strengthening the social, cultural and human dimensions of ASEAN cooperation.
Through achieving these goals, ASCC hopes to build an ASEAN community that is just, inclusive and sustainable in which every citizen can enjoy a better quality of life and have equal access to opportunities and development benefits.
In the context of the 2023 ASEAN Summit, the ASCC plays an important role in strengthening the social, cultural and human dimensions of ASEAN cooperation. The following are some of the reasons why ASCC is important at the 2023 ASEAN Summit:
- In the Context of Maintaining ASEAN Cultural Diversity and Identity: ASCC is an important forum for maintaining ASEAN cultural diversity and identity. Through its programs, ASCC seeks to promote, preserve and strengthen cultural heritage among ASEAN nations. This includes the promotion of traditional arts and culture, preservation of historical sites, and cultural exchanges between ASEAN countries. In doing so, ASCC helps build understanding and respect for the cultural diversity of the region.
- In the Context of Increasing Social Welfare and Reducing Inequality: ASCC aims to improve social welfare and reduce inequality among ASEAN countries. At the 2023 ASEAN Summit, ASCC can strengthen cooperation in poverty alleviation, better access to health and education services, and community empowerment. Through these programs, ASCC plays a role in improving the quality of life of ASEAN community as a whole.
- In the Context of Empowering Women and Children: ASCC pays special attention to women's empowerment and child protection in ASEAN. Through the 2023 ASEAN Summit, ASCC can strengthen steps in terms of increasing access to education, health services, and protection of women and children against violence. Thus, ASCC plays a role in creating a safe and inclusive environment for women and children in ASEAN.
- In the Context of Raising Public Awareness: ASCC plays an important role in raising public awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues in ASEAN. Through education and advocacy programs, ASCC can build a better understanding of important issues such as human rights, environmental sustainability and protection of cultural heritage. At the 2023 ASEAN Summit, ASCC can strengthen efforts to build awareness of ASEAN community and involve them in sustainable development efforts.
- In the Context of Collaboration and Exchange of Experiences: ASCC is an important platform for collaboration and exchange of experiences among ASEAN countries in the social, cultural and human fields. The 2023 ASEAN Summit is an opportunity for ASEAN leaders to strengthen cooperation in terms of exchanging knowledge, best practices and policies that focus on social empowerment, culture and protection of human rights.
It can be concluded that the ASCC played an important and significant role in the 2023 ASEAN Summit which was held in Indonesia. Through focusing on the aspects mentioned above and with support and implementation in the future, it is hoped that the ASEAN community will experience real benefits from regional integration and cooperation in various fields. (DA/FW)
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