ASEAN-IPR Discussion Series: Women, Peace, and Security & COVID-19 in ASEAN

ASEAN-IPR UPDATE

ASEAN INSTITUTE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION DISCUSSION SERIES: WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY & COVID-19 IN ASEAN

5 August 2020

ASEAN-IPR YouTube Channel

The ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR) convened a Webinar on 6 August 2020, taking on the theme “Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) & COVID-19 in ASEAN.” This Webinar is the first part of the ASEAN-IPR Discussion Series that brought together more than seventy (70) participants coming from ASEAN Member States, ASEAN partners, and other stakeholders – whether through the Webinar platform, or through the Institute’s YouTube Channel.

The theme of the Webinar seeks to understand the challenges and impacts that women face in times of global pandemic. The discussion extended to revisiting the Leaders’ Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace, and Security in ASEAN, (2017), and explore its aspects that are most relevant in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic, while also ensuring the momentum of the WPS Agenda continues.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Rezlan Ishar Jenie, Executive Director of ASEAN-IPR, emphasised that the impact of COVID-19 pandemic are seriously affecting women, and exacerbates existing gender inequalities, particularly in the health and socio-economic field. But, it is also important to look into how the implementation of the WPS agenda in ASEAN is being affected and what to do about it.

The discussion was moderated by H.E. Phasporn Sangasubana, Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN, and a Member of the Institute’s Advisory Board. Three Speakers shared and exchanged their views on the topic: Ms. Amina-Rasul Bernardo, the President of Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy; Ms. Sri Danti Anwar, the 2017-2018 Chair of ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC); and Ms. Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, Head of Law, Gender, and Society at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.

The Speakers exchanged views on the different facets of impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been posing towards women, and explored the variety of ways and means to curve such impact more effectively and efficiently, including the encouragement to create a more advanced research to identify the degree of impact which may support re-prioritising programs and budget, coordination, and policy based on public participation.

The second part of this Webinar series is scheduled for Friday, 28 August 2020, taking on the theme “Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Southeast Asia”. Be sure to subscribe to the ASEAN-IPR’s YouTube Channel, and follow our social media for latest information and/or updates on our activities.

*******