SocialASEAN

Today, the fight for a voice in the ASEAN is getting stronger. Civil societies, trade unions and small producers in the region are now speaking up and getting organized. Regional networks of farmers, home-based workers, trade unions and civil societies are also being formed. This is what it should be, for real integration can only happen if there is integration at the grassroots level, if people in the ten ASEAN countries begin to understand that they are ASEAN citizens and that they have a right to be heard. Real development means growth is not jobless for more but that better jobs and more jobs are created for all, that integration is not voiceless for all the stakeholders are informed and consulted, that development across the region is not ruthless and rootless for peace, equity and harmony among the people are preserved, and that the ASEAN project is not future-less because the environment is preserved and sustained. Such a vision should be the basis for building an ASEAN community of caring and sharing societies.

In line with these developments, project proponents: Fair Trade Alliance, Union Network International and ASEAN Service Employees Trade Union Council (ASETUC) came up with SocialASEAN–a blog to consolidate and network the civil societies, trade unions and NGOs in the region in the ASEAN debate and discussions. The objective is to build an online community through comments and discussions and to serve as ASEAN’s voice in the cyberspace.