1) ASEAN must promote and support youth participation in ASEAN at the policy and decision-making levels. There must be planning and efficient implementing and monitoring, as well as evaluation
o ASEAN Youth Network must be established in order to exchange cultures and histories for a better understanding and solidarity among youth in the region
o ASEAN must promote and support volunteerism among the youth in the region
o A youth committee must be a part of the ASEAN body and there must be youth representatives from various sectors, such as schools, labor and agricultural sectors, as well as from ethnic groups etc.
2) ASEAN must strengthen and promote diversity of local cultures and give respect to humanity
o Promote and support alternative education that suits the needs of the community. The history curriculum must be reformed to be accurate for correct and mutual understanding among neighboring countries.
3) ASEAN must emphasize a people-oriented policy and allocate sufficient budget for youth empowerment.
o Promote and support sustainable social entrepreneurship for the youth
o Establish local alternative products and markets to support local communities for sustainable development.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Workshop on Diversity and Natural Resource Management (Land, Forest, Water): Alternative to Mega-Projects in Mekong Region from Youth Perspectives
Recommendations for ASEAN Leaders
1. ASEAN countries must balance pro-poor economic policies within ecology, socio-cultural values and provide communities the right to access and manage natural resources sustainably based on participation (freedom of research, information and campaigning) and local knowledge.
2. ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) need to urgently allocate the key environment and natural resources issues of the region by working closely with Civil Society, NGOs, People’s Party, Mass Organizations and regional independent bodies to empower local people and youth towards livelihood securities and to develop alternative energy as strategies and implementation.
3. Environmental Pillar must be established in ASEAN with the national and regional standards by focusing on the transparency system among the governments and investors regarding business ethnics and internalize social and environment costs in their production processes based on genuine participation of people in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Health Impacts Assessment (HIA).
1. ASEAN countries must balance pro-poor economic policies within ecology, socio-cultural values and provide communities the right to access and manage natural resources sustainably based on participation (freedom of research, information and campaigning) and local knowledge.
2. ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) need to urgently allocate the key environment and natural resources issues of the region by working closely with Civil Society, NGOs, People’s Party, Mass Organizations and regional independent bodies to empower local people and youth towards livelihood securities and to develop alternative energy as strategies and implementation.
3. Environmental Pillar must be established in ASEAN with the national and regional standards by focusing on the transparency system among the governments and investors regarding business ethnics and internalize social and environment costs in their production processes based on genuine participation of people in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Health Impacts Assessment (HIA).
Summary and Recommendations: Natural Disaster Management
From the lesson learnt among the experiences of Natural Disasters and local management for livelihood strategies in Myanmar/Burma, we found some key points which are the causes of natural disasters or causes making people more suffered, and the good experiences which peoples found and practice for emergency response or management for livelihood.
Summary
- Extraction on natural resources without conducting assessment on possible impacts is the main course of future disasters
- Lack of environmental awareness and arrangement make the impacts more severe
- Lack of sharing information, lack of proper and effective management, lack of proper policy focusing on the benefit of grass-root people in case of disaster, lack of effective infrastructure are also the causes behind the unnecessary losses.
- Peoples’ participation and rights to participate in the conservation, emergency response and rehabilitation is the most necessary and important mechanism in natural disaster management
Recommendations
In order to respond the local phenomena of natural disasters and possible impacts from ASEAN, as the peoples of ASEAN, we strongly recommend and propose the following suggestions.
• To prevent the future disasters as the impacts of unbalance extraction on natural resources, economics co-integration should have standards for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA).
• To encompass the two phases of disaster management; prevention and emergency response, strengthen the functions of (ASEAN Senior Officials On Environment) ASOEN’s and (ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management) ACDM’s subsidiary bodies focusing not only on ministerial levels but also on the participation of civil societies.
• ASEAN should have the role to address and should have the standard to ensure the transparency and accountability in humanitarian efforts.
Summary
- Extraction on natural resources without conducting assessment on possible impacts is the main course of future disasters
- Lack of environmental awareness and arrangement make the impacts more severe
- Lack of sharing information, lack of proper and effective management, lack of proper policy focusing on the benefit of grass-root people in case of disaster, lack of effective infrastructure are also the causes behind the unnecessary losses.
- Peoples’ participation and rights to participate in the conservation, emergency response and rehabilitation is the most necessary and important mechanism in natural disaster management
Recommendations
In order to respond the local phenomena of natural disasters and possible impacts from ASEAN, as the peoples of ASEAN, we strongly recommend and propose the following suggestions.
• To prevent the future disasters as the impacts of unbalance extraction on natural resources, economics co-integration should have standards for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA).
• To encompass the two phases of disaster management; prevention and emergency response, strengthen the functions of (ASEAN Senior Officials On Environment) ASOEN’s and (ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management) ACDM’s subsidiary bodies focusing not only on ministerial levels but also on the participation of civil societies.
• ASEAN should have the role to address and should have the standard to ensure the transparency and accountability in humanitarian efforts.
ASEAN Youth Statement
We are the youth of Southeast Asia—young persons from different organizations in eight ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—plus South Korea). We would like to make our voices heard, as the youth of the region, the next generation who will eventually inherit it.
We met in Bangkok from 16-19 February 2009 to learn and share about ASEAN, and about issues and concerns that we face in our respective countries, the ASEAN region and as young persons. We discussed about the issues we are already working on: natural disaster management, peace-building, human rights and democracy, natural resource management and food security, and globalization and gross national happiness (GNH).
We affirm our common identity as the youth of the ASEAN, bound by a shared destiny as neighbours. We are united as young persons who are bound by a common concern for our countries, the region and the peoples. We celebrate the diversity of our roots, which are a source of our strength that serves to highlight the need for solidarity and unity as a region.
We, as youth of the ASEAN region, would like to assert that:
As ASEAN transforms itself into a more formal organization of states, it must set and lead in higher standards and mechanisms which will promote the welfare of its peoples. These standards and mechanisms need proper and full implementation so that words and ideas become reality.
ASEAN, as a regional organization, must address all forms of oppression of peoples in different countries in the region, who continue to endure curtailment of freedoms and violations of human rights different forms and degrees.
ASEAN, in order to be a true community of caring societies, must be based on a framework of human rights, sustainable development and peace-building.
ASEAN and its members must recognize and support the role and involvement of the youth in social development at the community, national and regional level.
We also commit ourselves to work together as young people in the Southeast Asian Region, and form a growing network of individuals an organizations who will engage ASEAN as young people on various issues and concerns.
Particularly, we would like to make the following specific recommendations:
On Environment and Natural Resource Management:
We urge the ASEAN Senior officials on the Environment (ASOEN) to work transparently with civil society (NGOs, people’s parties, mass organizations and independent organizations) in giving pressure on investors to practice business ethics and internalize social and environmental costs in their projects and production processes based on sound environmental and social impact assessment (EIA and SIA).
We propose ASOEN to set up standards for its member countries to empower local people to raise awareness, for livelihood development, alternatives and participatory natural resource management.
We demand governments of ASEAN countries to enforce balanced economic policies consistent with ecological and socio-cultural values, which will improve the right of local people to access and manage natural resources based on local knowledge.
On Human Rights and Democracy
We want an ASEAN Human Rights body that is independent from member governments, in order to have a fair and unbiased investigation of violations in member countries.
We demand that the ASEAN Human Rights body must protect and promote the rights of youth and students (for example, the rights to organize and conduct human right campaigns, to form student governments and organizations, to freedom of political beliefs and participation, to expression, to peaceful assembly, to access to education, academic freedom, to decent work, and to human rights education, among others)
We urge ASEAN and its members to protect and promote all human rights, which requires greater participation of peoples in Democracy.
On Globalization and GNH
We urge ASEAN to promote and support youth participation in ASEAN policy-making, and decision-making.
1. ASEAN must support the formation of Youth networks, exchanges and solidarity.
2. ASEAN and its members must promote and support youth voluntarism.
We urge ASEAN to strengthen and promote the respect and diversity of local culture.
ASEAN must promote and support alternative education and local knowledge curriculum.
ASEAN must support people-driven policy and increase spending for youth social services.
ASEAN must promote and support sustainable youth entrepreneurship.
ASEAN must protect and promote local product markets from the impact of globalization on food production.
ASEAN must protect the local youth workers from exploitation resulting from globalisation.
On Peace-building
We believe that ASEAN’s peace-building efforts must be based on human rights framework.
- ASEAN should promote and set up a Youth Network for peace-building and peace education (curriculum that stimulate youths to respect diversity, multiracial perspectives)
- ASEAN should promote fully the participation of ASEAN people, especially young people, to shape their future and respect their self-determination at all levels with compromise.
- ASEAN’s role should control foreign intervention in terms of militarization and free trade. ASEAN should insist each country’s regional to use peaceful settlement to their internal affairs.
On Natural Disaster Management
In order to respond the local phenomena of natural disasters and possible impacts from ASEAN, as the peoples of ASEAN, we strongly recommend and propose the following suggestions.
• For Implementation of Socio-Cultural Community, there should be the program for Environmental awareness and education for grass-root people.
• The economic co-integration should have a standard for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA)
• To empower the activities of ASEAN Senior Officials On Environment (ASOEN) Focusing on civil society rather than ministerial levels and revise the agreement on “non-interference among internal affairs of member states” which is the great block for implementing the ASEAN’s mechanisms.
22 February 2009
Bangkok, Thailand
We met in Bangkok from 16-19 February 2009 to learn and share about ASEAN, and about issues and concerns that we face in our respective countries, the ASEAN region and as young persons. We discussed about the issues we are already working on: natural disaster management, peace-building, human rights and democracy, natural resource management and food security, and globalization and gross national happiness (GNH).
We affirm our common identity as the youth of the ASEAN, bound by a shared destiny as neighbours. We are united as young persons who are bound by a common concern for our countries, the region and the peoples. We celebrate the diversity of our roots, which are a source of our strength that serves to highlight the need for solidarity and unity as a region.
We, as youth of the ASEAN region, would like to assert that:
As ASEAN transforms itself into a more formal organization of states, it must set and lead in higher standards and mechanisms which will promote the welfare of its peoples. These standards and mechanisms need proper and full implementation so that words and ideas become reality.
ASEAN, as a regional organization, must address all forms of oppression of peoples in different countries in the region, who continue to endure curtailment of freedoms and violations of human rights different forms and degrees.
ASEAN, in order to be a true community of caring societies, must be based on a framework of human rights, sustainable development and peace-building.
ASEAN and its members must recognize and support the role and involvement of the youth in social development at the community, national and regional level.
We also commit ourselves to work together as young people in the Southeast Asian Region, and form a growing network of individuals an organizations who will engage ASEAN as young people on various issues and concerns.
Particularly, we would like to make the following specific recommendations:
On Environment and Natural Resource Management:
We urge the ASEAN Senior officials on the Environment (ASOEN) to work transparently with civil society (NGOs, people’s parties, mass organizations and independent organizations) in giving pressure on investors to practice business ethics and internalize social and environmental costs in their projects and production processes based on sound environmental and social impact assessment (EIA and SIA).
We propose ASOEN to set up standards for its member countries to empower local people to raise awareness, for livelihood development, alternatives and participatory natural resource management.
We demand governments of ASEAN countries to enforce balanced economic policies consistent with ecological and socio-cultural values, which will improve the right of local people to access and manage natural resources based on local knowledge.
On Human Rights and Democracy
We want an ASEAN Human Rights body that is independent from member governments, in order to have a fair and unbiased investigation of violations in member countries.
We demand that the ASEAN Human Rights body must protect and promote the rights of youth and students (for example, the rights to organize and conduct human right campaigns, to form student governments and organizations, to freedom of political beliefs and participation, to expression, to peaceful assembly, to access to education, academic freedom, to decent work, and to human rights education, among others)
We urge ASEAN and its members to protect and promote all human rights, which requires greater participation of peoples in Democracy.
On Globalization and GNH
We urge ASEAN to promote and support youth participation in ASEAN policy-making, and decision-making.
1. ASEAN must support the formation of Youth networks, exchanges and solidarity.
2. ASEAN and its members must promote and support youth voluntarism.
We urge ASEAN to strengthen and promote the respect and diversity of local culture.
ASEAN must promote and support alternative education and local knowledge curriculum.
ASEAN must support people-driven policy and increase spending for youth social services.
ASEAN must promote and support sustainable youth entrepreneurship.
ASEAN must protect and promote local product markets from the impact of globalization on food production.
ASEAN must protect the local youth workers from exploitation resulting from globalisation.
On Peace-building
We believe that ASEAN’s peace-building efforts must be based on human rights framework.
- ASEAN should promote and set up a Youth Network for peace-building and peace education (curriculum that stimulate youths to respect diversity, multiracial perspectives)
- ASEAN should promote fully the participation of ASEAN people, especially young people, to shape their future and respect their self-determination at all levels with compromise.
- ASEAN’s role should control foreign intervention in terms of militarization and free trade. ASEAN should insist each country’s regional to use peaceful settlement to their internal affairs.
On Natural Disaster Management
In order to respond the local phenomena of natural disasters and possible impacts from ASEAN, as the peoples of ASEAN, we strongly recommend and propose the following suggestions.
• For Implementation of Socio-Cultural Community, there should be the program for Environmental awareness and education for grass-root people.
• The economic co-integration should have a standard for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA)
• To empower the activities of ASEAN Senior Officials On Environment (ASOEN) Focusing on civil society rather than ministerial levels and revise the agreement on “non-interference among internal affairs of member states” which is the great block for implementing the ASEAN’s mechanisms.
22 February 2009
Bangkok, Thailand
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