5th East Asia Ministerial Forum on Families


YB Pehin Hazair, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports with Ministers, Vice Ministers and Heads of 13 delegations attending the 5th East Asia Ministerial Forum on Families at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.

Bandar Seri Begawan, 2 October 2012 - The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Hazair bin Hj Abdullah yesterday drew up the curtain for the 5th East Asia Ministerial Forum on Families (EAMFF).

The opening ceremony was held at the Indera Samudera Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

A total of 100 delegates from 13 countries comprising ministers and senior officers responsible on family affairs, including those of the host country Brunei Darussalam, will be attending the three-day forum.

Yesterday's opening ceremony began with the welcoming remarks by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Awg Hj Mohd Rozan bin Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yunos, who noted that the ministerial forum acts as a sharing avenue on family issues.

It is also an opportunity for participants to generate ideas for establishing cooperative partnerships within the East Asia region, which is in line with its main goal to help regional countries share experiences on solving family issues and assisting families facing a high risk of breakdown.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is pleased to host the 5th EAMFF that will provide a valuable platform to facilitate the sharing of regional experiences and highlighting the family as a backbone for solidarity, security and nation building.

He highlighted that the attendance at the biennale meeting is a clear evidence of their shared interest in family related issues, and hope that the forum would arrive at joint actions for the well-being of individuals and the stable development of families.

He further disclosed that the forum will focus on managing work-family balance as such issue is a global challenge faced by the family institution, where there have been a rise in working mothers, due to rapid socio-economic development.

"Career mothers' commitments and contributions in the socio-economic development have undeniably changed their roles from being full-time mothers and housewives," he added.

Despite the changing roles, not all parents can spend most of their time with their families, thus in handling such issue; the meeting will discuss and share their best practices and experiences on managing the issues of work-family balance.

In line with this year's theme, "Ensuring Work Family Balance", the forum will bring up various issues towards the wide role of family such as imbalance between work and family that could lead to social issues, psychology and somatic apart from reducing productivity at work place.

The 5th EAMFF agenda yesterday began with a roundtable discussion with participating countries, where the session was led by three invited panelists; from the Institute of Family Studies, Australia; Institute of Science and Health, UBD; and Brunei Shell Petroleum Company, as a representative from the private sector.

Awg Hj Mohd Rozan also disclosed that the statement issued on the final day would contain a declaration that will ensure commitments made by delegates at the forum, which are given the highest priority.

Following the opening ceremony, the minister chaired the closed session forum, in which the heads of delegation discussed and exchanged views, information, best practices and experiences on welfare and family institution development issues.

The first EAMFF, held in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2004, produced the Hanoi Statement - "For regional Cooperation on Family Related Matters", while the second EAMFF hosted by Singapore in 2006, has issued the Singapore Statement -"Building Resilient Families".

Following that, Indonesia hosted the 3rd EAMFF in Bali with the Bali Statement, "Strengthening Collaboration for Programmes on Family Resilience", and the 4th EAMFF was hosted by Malaysia in 2008 in Kuala Lumpur with the Statement - "Safe and Resilient Families: Protecting and Empowering At-Risk and High-Risk Families."

- Courtesy of The Borneo Bulletin -

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