Building resilience amid uncertainties for future generations

Kuching, Sarawak, 22 October 2024 – The 2nd Regional Social Policy Conference reflects a strong commitment in advancing policies that uplift the lives of children across East Asia and the Pacific. The conference also highlights the Sarawak government’s commitment to champion children’s rights and build inclusive social protection systems.

“It is imperative that we place our children at the centre of our social policies. Investing in children is not merely a moral obligation; it is an economic necessity. It is not merely a safety net; it is a foundation for sustainable development. Sarawak has made significant strides in enhancing our social protection framework and our goal remains to ensure that no child is left behind,” said The Honorable Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Premier Sarawak, Second Minister for Finance and New Economy, and Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Sarawak.

Hosting 250 participants, including 100 international delegates from 14 countries across East Asia and the Pacific, the conference is jointly organised by United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC) at Universiti Malaya, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Sarawak.

Myo-Zin Nyunt, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF Regional Office for East Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the necessity of this regional conference in his opening remarks, “The East Asia and Pacific region face growing uncertainties due to megatrends such as climate change and demographic shifts, which develop much faster than we think. It highlights the need for inclusive social policies and investments in children, ensuring that every child can thrive and contribute to a prosperous and resilient society.”

Robert Gass, Country Representative for UNICEF Malaysia, emphasized the strength of international networks, “This year, on UNICEF’s 70^th anniversary in Malaysia, we are reminded of the power of collaboration to achieve results for children. By connecting social protection practitioners across borders—we create a powerful force that is greater than the sum of its parts. This network is a driving force for change, dedicated to improving the lives of children.”

Professor Norma Mansor, Director of the SWRC, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, stating, "This conference serves as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to delve deeper into the role of social protection in navigating contemporary challenges. By prioritizing investments in children, we lay the foundation for a skilled and adaptable future workforce."

Under the theme "Prioritizing Investments in Children in a Changing Region," the conference features high-level discussions, expert presentations, and collaborative sessions aimed at tackling the region’s dynamic challenges. 

Key Highlights from the Conference include:

• Strategies to increase investments in children: ILO’s latest social protection report  shows that Asia and the Pacific's investment of social protection is still low (11.8% of GDP) when compared to World Average (23.9% of GDP).
• Shock-responsive and anticipatory social protection models: Strategies to strengthen climate resilience and disaster response, featuring insights from Mongolia, Indonesia, Tonga and Fiji.
• Gender and family life in social policies: Exploring approaches for promoting gender equality and enhancing child well-being to improve female labour force participation.
• Financing sustainable child-friendly social protection systems: Focusing on fiscal strategies for maintaining sustainable investments in child welfare, such as progressively improving coverage of family and child benefits.
• Building inclusive and age-sensitive social protection systems: Discussing models to expand social protection for vulnerable populations, such as migrants, the elderly, and children.

UNICEF, SWRC, and the Ministry of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak remain committed to maintain this momentum by generating evidence on child-specific indicators, strengthening local governance, piloting integrated social protection programs, among other initiatives, to ensure that children across the region can thrive.

Note to Editor

Among the distinguished guests at the 2nd Regional Social Policy Conference were The Honorable YB Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Premier Sarawak, Second Minister for Finance and New Economy, and Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Sarawak; The Honorable Dato’ Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak; and Dr. Myo-Zin Nyunt, Deputy Regional Director for UNICEF East Asia & Pacific. The event attracted over 250 participants, including 100 international delegates and speakers, as well as postgraduate students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Swinburne University.

Representatives from 14 countries across East Asia and the Pacific—including Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Tonga, and Vietnam—joined the conference. High-level representatives from various national ministries, such as the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, and the Ministry of Health, are among the delegates, illustrating the broad-based support for social policy innovation in the region.