ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples' Forum 2018

The ACSC-APF 2018 Process

The ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples' Forum (ACSC/APF) 2018 is convened by Think Centre (a member of Forum-Asia) and the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant workers (TFAMW). Together with other like-minded CSOs in Singapore - namely Project X, Function 8 and UNI-APRO/ASETUC, they make up the Local Organising Committee and will jointly host the event in Singapore from 2-4 November 2018.

The Regional Steering Committee (RSC) is made up of representatives from the 10 ASEAN countries and Timor Leste selected through national consultation. Sub-committees include - Program Committee, Drafting Committee, Information Communication and Outreach Media Committee, Arts and Culture, and Logistics which oversee the various aspect of the conference.

 

With the overarching theme “Empowering Peoples’ Solidarity Against All Forms of Discrimination”, ACSC/APF 2018’s objectives centre around convergence themes developed in the Philippines in 2017.  A key objective of the ACSC/APF 2018 is to bring to the forefront marginalized groups not previously mainstreamed in the conference. This includes persons with disabilities, sex workers and new grassroots communities, by building people-to-people relations, providing organisation and empowering ground-up leadership for Southeast Asian civil society.

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History of the Process

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The ACSC/APF is a civil society and grassroots process initiated by (SAPA) Solidarity for Asian Peoples’ Advocacy.

 

From 2006 to 2015, Co-Convenors of SAPA WGA (Solidarity for Asian Peoples' Advocacy - Working Group on ASEAN) were FORUM ASIA and SEACA.  Since 2016, the Co-Convenors of SAPA (Solidarity for ASEAN People's Advocacy) are FORUM ASIA and PUSAT KOMAS.

 

In 2015, the SAPA Working Group on ASEAN made a collective submission to the ASEAN Community's Post 2015 Vision. The ACSC/APF process continues to engage ASEAN and its mechanisms. This year it seeks to monitor its implementation of the recommendation in the SAPA 2015 submission and to follow-up on the three ASEAN Community Blueprints for 2016 - 2025.
 

CSO participation is possible, especially, in reporting, monitoring, and implementation of the thematic processes of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, ASEAN Economy Community Blueprint 2025, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025. The three community blueprints promote public awareness of the various initiatives, outcomes, and issues that enable CSOs to engage the various processes.

 

In 2016, SAPA was renamed as “Solidarity for ASEAN People’s Advocacy” reflecting the reality that the CSO participants are mostly from Southeast Asia who engage the ASEAN processes.

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Read more about The ASEAN Process.