Day: February 6, 2023

In recent years, the world economy is battered by a series of severe shocks; the COVID-19 pandemic, the food and energy crises, surging inflation, debt tightening, as well as climate change which pose real threat on an unprecedented global scale. The Permanent Secretary for Economy, Trade and Industry at the Ministry of Finance and Economy stated this during the Launching of the BIMP-EAGA Strategic Planning Meeting 2023. The 3-day meeting began yesterday at a hotel in Kampung Anggerek Desa.

Doctor Dayang Hajah May Fa'ezah binti Haji Ahmad Ariffin stressed that ASEAN remains one of the fastest growing regions in the world. ASEAN remained steadfast in moving forward to enhance its economic cooperation not only within the region, but also with its dialogue partners and beyond. Doctor Dayang Hajah May Fa'ezah also highlighted a number of directives from the 25th BIMP-EAGA Ministerial Meeting which include Accelerating Cooperation Together BEV 2025 Mid-Term Review, MTR and the need for BIMP-EAGA to lay the groundwork for BIMP-EAGA's Post 2025 agenda. Also present was Awang Mohammad Harris bin Retired Brigadier General Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Trade and Industry at the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Source: Radio Television Brunei

Relaxation and removal of travel restrictions within ASEAN Member States was welcomed with 60 percent of measures and activities under the Post COVID-19 Recovery Plan for ASEAN Tourism have been completed or are being implemented through the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan, ATSP Work Plan. The matter was among those achieved at the 26th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers, MATM held recently in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Also held were the related meetings Plus Three, 22nd MATM Plus Three, 10th Meeting of ASEAN-India and 2nd Meeting of ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Ministers.

Brunei Darussalam's delegation to the meeting was led by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism. The theme was 'ASEAN: A Journey to Wonderful Destinations'. During the MATM Plus Three, the meeting noted that the Plus Three countries continued to implement measures and initiatives to revitalize the tourism sector. The 10th ASEAN-India Meeting emphasised the need to continue supporting tourism micro-small medium enterprises.

The 2nd ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Meeting among others highlighted the importance of advancing efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism between the two parties. Meanwhile, at the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards Ceremony, Two entities received the 2nd ASEAN Spa Services Awards. Meanwhile, 4 entities received the 2nd ASEAN Public Toilet Award. Brunei Darussalam also participated in the ASEAN Tourism Forum Travel Exchange, TRAVEX to provide business matching opportunities for suppliers of tourism products and services and foster business relationships.

Source: Radio Television Brunei

BANGLADESH, Dhaka: Ending female genital mutilation (FGM) globally is unachievable unless efforts are significantly stepped up across Asia, where FGM remains widely unaddressed despite occurring in at least ten countries. A major reason is the failure by regional governments to introduce and implement effective laws against FGM. Another challenge is the lack of comprehensive and reliable data from state authorities on the extent and nature of the problem. All governments urgently need to provide this information as it underpins the development, delivery, and measurement of effective interventions.

Information on FGM in Asia is urgently needed

FGM is a harmful traditional practice involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It can cause immense physical and psychological damage and is internationally recognized as a grave violation of women’s and girls’ human rights. Yet this invasive practice – done to control the sex drive of women and girls – continues in communities found worldwide.

The dearth of reliable government data on FGM in Asian countries means the accurate scale of how many women and girls are impacted and in what ways, remains unknown. This scarcity of information makes it harder to instigate action, design and implement policies, and hold governments and other duty-bearers to account, particularly in advocating for the introduction and effective implementation of legislative measures against FGM. It also makes it more difficult to secure funding.

Indonesia and the Maldives are the only states in Asia that provide national-level prevalence data. For other practicing countries - Brunei, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand - evidence is available just from sources such as civil society organizations, media reports, and anecdotal studies based on interviews with survivors.

Legal bans on FGM are needed

Without legal bans that expressly criminalize and punish FGM, and prohibit it for both women and minors, the United Nations says it will be impossible to provide “accountability frameworks and disciplinary sanctions” essential for prevention and eradication.

Among measures recommended in the Human Rights Council Resolution on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, States are urged to “respect, protect and promote the human rights of all women and girls, and to adopt and expedite the implementation of laws, policies and programmes” to end FGM. However, the study “Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Call for A Global Response” by Equality Now, End FGM European Network, and US Network to End FGM/C found that no such legal prohibition currently exists against FGM in any Asian countries.

States in Asia are working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda 2030 and are parties to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). SDG 5.3, CEDAW and CRC expressly prohibit FGM and call on States to take action.

Women’s rights groups and others calling for FGM to be explicitly and fully criminalized are increasingly linking their advocacy to such international human rights commitments, and this has yielded some positive results.

In the Maldives, during the country’s last CEDAW review session, the government took the initiative to criminalize FGM by committing to draft an amendment to the country’s Penal Code. In Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Health issued a circular advising doctors not to perform FGM.

Over the last few years and for the first time ever, some Asian countries have received inquiries and recommendations from United Nations mechanisms about enacting FGM laws. In the 2022 United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), India was called upon to take action, and in early 2023, a UPR review of Sri Lanka recommended the country take action to eradicate FGM, prevent gender-based violence, and strengthen women’s rights. Singapore has also been questioned about FGM during its review before the CEDAW Committee. This marks a crucial advance in drawing international attention and paves the way for greater government accountability.

Little or no progress

Unfortunately, in other parts of Asia, there has been little or no progress. The Philippines and Thailand have still not officially recognized that FGM occurs within their borders. While in India, a public interest litigation filed in 2017 seeking a ban on FGM was referred by the Supreme Court to the Constitution bench, which grouped the case alongside three other petitions dealing with women’s rights and freedom of religion. Five years on from the original litigation being filed, things remain pending.

In Muslim-majority countries, conservative religious groups justify FGM by misinterpreting it as a religious requirement, and their opposition to ending this harmful practice is hampering endeavors. For example, in the Maldives, such groups are promoting narratives in favor of FGM that could reverse recent positive developments, including potentially derailing ongoing efforts towards criminalization.

In Indonesia, a circular warning issued on FGM’s negative health effects was contradicted by a Ministry of Health regulation that referenced religious and cultural sentiments and allowed medical staff to carry out “less invasive procedures.”

Against this backdrop, calls for collective action, such as those being led by the Asia Network to End FGM/C, are vital as they shine a much-needed spotlight and galvanize collaboration. To achieve the SDG 5.3 target of ending FGM throughout the world by 2030, the international community must follow suit by do more to address FGM in Asia. This includes prompting Asian governments to act quickly in adopting a zero-tolerance approach incorporating full criminalization, data collection, and the implementation of a coordinated multi-sectoral approach. Without this, countless women and girls across the region will continue to suffer this grave human rights violation, and the ambition to end FGM globally will remain unobtainable.

Source: Equality Now

In appreciation of the service and dedication of the retirees from the Ministry of Health and the Departments under it, the Ministry of Health held an Appreciation Ceremony for 405 officers and staff who retired in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The ceremony took place at Dewan Al-'Afiah, Ministry of Health.

Certificates and souvenirs to the retirees were presented by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doctor Awang Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar, Minister of Health. 137 officers and staff retired in 2019, while 142 retired in 2020 and another 126 retired in 2021. The ceremony was to celebrate the retirees as a sign of appreciation, recognition, remembrance and respect for the contributions in public service.

Source: Radio Television Brunei