ASEAN agrees to speed up efforts to stem violence against women

[PRESS RELEASE]
[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

 

Bangkok, Thailand — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its ten MemberStates agreed today on stronger measures to carry out the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination ofViolence against Women, 2016-2025.

The pledges were made at the online launch of a report on the midterm review of the plan. The event coincided withthe United Nations global campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.

The review was done by the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children andthe ASEAN Committee on Women under the leadership of Thailand, through a partnership with UN Women and support fromASEAN Secretariat.

The review report highlighted significant progress at the regional level, including the production of ASEANdata collection guidelines on violence against women, campaigns to raise awareness aboutviolence against women, and guidelines for front-lineservice providers on ending such violence including the administration of justice.

At the national level, progress includes the finalization of national action plans on ending violence against women,data collection, and development and adaptation of gender-responsive legal frameworks to penalize perpetrators andto prevent violence.

The report recommended that ASEAN and its Member States monitor and assess the effectiveness of the measures theyhave taken. It also proposed to make further progress on developing international-standard laws and national actionplans as well as quality services for women and girls, and on generating evidence and data on gender-based violence.

“Through our partnership at the ASEAN level, we learn from one another and identify policy areas that need tobe addressed collectively. This is where the mid-term review of the RPA EVAW comes in: to aid in our policy thinkingand action in the coming years,” said H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEANSocio-Cultural Community.

"I am particularly pleased that, as evident in the Mid-term Review Report, remarkable progress at both regional andnational levels has been made with regard to our efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls,” saidMrs. Jintana Chanbamrung Director-General Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, Ministry ofSocial Development and Human Security of Thailand. “It is my hope the Report will spark off ways forward onhow to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment, based on the mantra of leaving no one behind. ForThailand, the issues have always been of paramount importance in our policy agenda. We remain engaged and dedicatedto working closely with our colleagues and partners to advance and accelerate our tasks to promote and protect womenand girls in our region."

“In the post- COVID era, cross-sectoral collaboration between development programmes, humanitarian aid andpeacebuilding is key,” said Sarah Knibbs, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and thePacific. “We are proud to join forces with ASEAN to accelerate progress in combatting violence against womento ensure a better protection and empowerment of all women and girls in ASEAN, including the mostmarginalized.”