ASEAN Countries Face Issues of Children, Handicapped: Minister

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - All ASEAN member countries are facing the same social issues related to the social welfare of children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

"The ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, are dealing with issues connected to the protection of children, elderly and disabled," Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said at the ninth ASEAN Regional Meeting on Development and Social Welfare in Jakarta on Friday.

Earlier, Khofifah, along with several of her counterparts from the ASEAN countries and China, Japan and South Korea, discussed many such social problems.

The minister said the ASEAN countries are facing a variety of issues related to children, including the problem of online pornography. A proposal to stem this problem has been initiated Malaysia with a proposal.

"There was a recommendation at a meeting about children held last June in Vietnam. Many countries are facing such problems, as also those related to protection of abandoned children," Khofifah noted.

She added that inputs given by ASEAN and three Asian countries which participated in the meeting emphasized the importance of checking child trafficking and ensuring childrens education, including quality standards in early childhood education and parenting.

Most ASEAN countries will have a large number of the elderly people, and, therefore, should take measures to facilitate them in their daily life, especially those who are active and productive.

"Some programs have been carried out well in Japan, China and South Korea and will be a basis to strengthen cooperation among the ASEAN and the three countries on the issue," the minister concluded.

ANTARA