Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) has played asignificant role in building the ASEAN Community, which was born on December31, 2015. 

Withthe support of the ASCC, the ASEAN Community has achieved encouraging resultsin implementing the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the 2030 United Nations Agenda onSustainable Development.

TheASCC has prioritised education and training, exchange of students and youngleaders, scholarship facilitation, workforce training, regional vocationalcompetitions, sustainable job creation and improvement of civil services.

InVietnam, demand for skilled workers and technicians surged 28 percent and 13percent, respectively, after the ASEAN Community was formed.

Viathe implementation of the ASEAN integration initiatives and the ASEAN Frameworkon Fair Economic Development, ASEAN 6 together with partner countries andinternational organisations are assisting Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam inmore than 200 projects. As a result, the poverty rate in each ASEAN nation hasfallen while the rate of middle class people has increased six-fold over thepast decade.

TheASCC has facilitated socio-cultural development in the bloc, from education,health care, social welfares, environment to responding to disasters anddiseases.

Thisyear, the ASCC will promote sustainable job generation, respond to disasters inand outside the region and continue carrying out the ASEAN Communication MasterPlan. At the same time, it will promote social equality and incorporatecitizens’ rights into policies.

Thegrouping established the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection ofthe Rights of Women and Children and a network to prevent violence againstwomen and children, embarked on a child care and protection programme in linewith the Convention on the Rights of the Child and launched capacity-buildingprojects on social services and rehabilitation for the disabled.

Memberstates have raised public awareness of the ASEAN Community via publications,television programmes and knowledge competitions and promoted and preserved regionalcultural heritages via music performances.

Whilestrengthening connectivity and enhancing cooperation, ASEAN upholds the policyof settling differences in the spirit of the “ASEAN Way” that valuessolidarity, consultation and consensus.

Withvalue in diverse areas, the ASCC plays a crucial role in enriching the ASEANCommunity, helping Southeast Asia become a region of harmony, uniformdevelopment and sustainable integration.-VNA