BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed here Wednesday to strive for equitable access to social protection and outlined concrete actions to improve the quality, coverage and sustainability of social protection.

In a declaration adopted in the 23rd ASEAN Summit, titled the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection, they defined social protection as including welfare and development, safety nets, insurance, assistance and services.

The declaration said, "Everyone, especially those who are poor, at risk, person with disabilities, older people, out-of-school youth, children, migrant workers, and other vulnerable groups, are entitled to have equitable access to social protection."

It also said that the implementation of social protection need to involve multiple stakeholders including governments, private sector, development partners, civil society and service providers.

Social protection should be adaptive to the different risks like lifestyle and individual risks, social risks and emerging regional risks and vulnerabilities, said the declaration. ?

To further strive to social protection, the ASEAN member states need to support national policies, strategies and mechanisms so as to strengthen the implementation of the program.

The members are expected to allocate adequate financial resources for the program in line with national targets and subject to the capability of each government.

The implantation of the social protection program also needs progress toward Universal Health Coverage and cooperation between ASEAN bodies and ASEAN dialogue partners, according to the declaration.