16th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development held in Bangkok, Thailand via Video Conference, 15 December 2021
The 16 th ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development took place on 15 December 2021 under the leadership of SOMSWD Thailand, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong and Co-chair of NGO Thailand by National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand (NCSWT), Professor Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang. The Forum was held under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN” and focused on building a more inclusive and resilient post-pandemic world based on the notion of leaving no one behind.
Approximately 150 participants attended the forum, including SOMSWD Focal Points, representatives from the government, national NGOs and CSOs, academia, International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), organizations, awarded with ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards, ASEAN Secretariat, international organizations and UN agencies and other delegates from Thailand.
The inaugural ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Awards (AOSWADA) was held at the forum which showcased the outstanding achievements of its 2021 awardees to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable groups in their respective Member States. The AOSWADA will be given annually to the awarded NGOs/CSOs, and the private sector with outstanding achievements and contributions from the ASEAN Member States.
Dr. Suh Sang Mok, President of International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) participated in the Forum as one of the panelists on the first session of Building More Resilient and Inclusive Society through Engagements with Partners. Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen, Regional President of ICSW-SEAP joined the Forum and took part in the Workshop session with Dr. Prapaporn Tivayanond Mongkhonvanit, Dean of Global Studies, Thammasat University, on behalf of NCSWT and Dr. Puchong Senanuch, Faculty of Social Administration, Thammasat University, on behalf of ICSW-SEAP in moderating the session on Identifying Recommendations for Strengthening Partnerships towards the Betterment of ASEAN.
The forum recommendations were formulated. Prof. Emeritus Dr. Chanita Rakspollmuang from NCSWT and Mr. Chinchai Cheecharoen of ICSW-SEAP, jointly presented the general recommendations to the 17 th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) on the 16 December 2021 and the general recommendations were endorsed by the SOMSWD Meeting.
To be consistent with the TOR of the ASEAN GO-NGO Forum, the Regional President of ICSW-SEAP joined with Co-Chairs of NGO and government and ASEAN Secretariat to develop agenda and program of the forum. In addition, ICSW-SEAP and NCSWT jointly organized the online Preparatory NGO Meeting with ICSW members and NGO organizations in this SEAP region on the 14 th December 2021. The objective was to discuss and exchange ideas with participants to improve, adjust and refine the preliminary recommendations accordingly of which the recommendations would be taken as key points in the workshop session of the forum.
