The ten members of ASEAN have come a step closer to the establishment of a social protection floor that would benefit farmers and rural workers, a UN-sponsored ASEAN meeting heard today.

During the course of the last two days, ASEAN members have been considering a plan of action to implement the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection which was adopted at the 23^rd ASEAN Summit in 2013. The action plan aims to achieve the declaration’s goal of growth with equity and “integration with a human face.” The ASEAN Member States had declared to enforce adequate social protection measures, expand social insurance to the informal sector and social assistance to the unemployed and vulnerable groups.

The move toward implementation of the declaration is an important step forward, according to the co-organizers.

“Social protection not only helps individuals and families to cope with risks and reduce inequalities, it represents an investment to the society towards eradicating poverty and hunger,” said FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, Hiroyuki Konuma, speaking on behalf of the three organizers, FAO, ILO and UNICEF. “The most vulnerable populations in our society, especially children, through right-based approaches, income security and access to social services, would enable to develop and contribute to their full potential for achieving equitable society and sustainable development.”

The Siem Reap ASEAN consultation was hosted by the Royal Government of Cambodia and was co-organized by ASEAN Secretariat, FAO, ILO and UNICEF. In October, FAO and ILO also convened a Regional Consultation on Social Protection, Rural Employment and Food Security’

While important gains have been made to reduce hunger in this region, 12 percent of the people of this region continue to suffer from chronic hunger and are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society.

“Social protection should be explicitly integrated into existing government constitutions, policies and programmes related to rural development, health, nutrition, food security, and agriculture. This is in order to increase efficiency, improve policy coherence and institutional capacity and subsequently produce a harmonized response on social protection,” Konuma said.

The co-organizers reaffirmed their support for the ASEAN Social Protection Framework and the Plan of Action and effective implementation of the ASEAN Declaration for Strengthening Social Protection which would foster a platform and synergy to facilitate wider collaboration and support for the implementation of effective, sustainable and long-term social protection in close synergies and cooperation with all stakeholders.