From late July through August 2026, AsiaDHRRA, in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat’s Poverty Eradication and Gender Division (PEGD) and with the support of the Aus4ASEAN Futures (A4AF), facilitated in-person validation workshops in Jakarta for the 2026-2030 Work Plans of four ASEAN sectoral bodies: the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW), the Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (SOMRDPE), the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), and the Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD).

Each workshop brought together representatives from ASEAN Member States to review and finalize their respective Work Plans, aligning strategic priorities with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the ASCC Strategic Plan 2026-2035. Across the four processes, a consistent pattern emerged: while each sectoral body carries a distinct mandate, their priorities converge on shared regional concerns, including the care economy, the elimination of violence against women and children, social protection for rural and vulnerable populations, and climate-responsive resilience. Member States used the workshops not only to validate their own commitments but to identify concrete opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration going forward.

All four Work Plans have since been granted in-principle endorsement, with final technical and editorial refinements now under review through each body’s respective consultation period, ahead of formal endorsement and eventual submission for notation by ASEAN Leaders. This marks a significant milestone in a process that began with sectoral consultations earlier this year and will continue into implementation, where the focus will shift toward resourcing, monitoring, and sustaining the cross-sectoral coordination that Member States called for throughout.

AsiaDHRRA extends its appreciation to the ACW, SOMRDPE, ACWC, and SOMSWD representatives, sectoral experts, ASEC PEGD, and the Aus4ASEAN Futures initiative for their continued collaboration in advancing a more people-centred ASEAN Community.