INSP!R Asia

In Asia, WSM has 16 national partner organisations and ACV-CSC International has two national trade union partners (of which one, K-SBSI in Indonesia is a joint partner of both organisations). Present in six countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia), 12 of these organisations are trade unions, 1 is a mutual health insurance organisation and 4 are socio-cultural movements (of which 1 young workers’ organisation). All these organisations are part of the global network INSP!R, the International Network for Social Protection Rights. Other strategic partners, like AMRC, and relevant stakeholders in Asia are involved in this network at continental level.

The continental network is managed and coordinated through an already existing structure, the Asia Steering Committee, that is mandated to:

• plan, monitor and evaluate the continental action plan;
• raise the capacity of the partner organisations and national synergies on the right to social protection, through thematic seminars, look-and-learn visits, sharing of good practices within the programs, building specific expertise together, conducting thematic research, coming to joint definitions and understanding, organising exchanges between partner organisations, internal and external communication (blog, newsletter, articles, social media);
• develop joint political demands and positions within the area of the right to social protection, transform them into political actions, give advocacy to policy makers, political institutions and economic actors at the sub-regional (SAARC/ASEAN) and continental level, support national political actions and conduct solidarity actions.

Specific attention goes to cross-cutting topics of gender equality, youth, environment and its link with climate justice, adaptive social protection and just transition. 

The INSP!R Asia and its steering committee will also use the opportunity to share information, experiences and expertise between the Asian partner organisations who are involved in the transnational trade unions network within Multinational Companies and their supply chains, focusing on Human Rights and Due Diligence, coordinated by K-SBSI through the program of ACV-CSC International.

WSM also provides opportunities to the partner organisations in the continental network to strengthen their capacity in the following domains: political actions, synergy & networking, thematic expertise, gender, organisational capacities.

Crosscutting theme of young workers regional partner:
International Young Christian Workers Asia Pacific (YCW ASPAC): The International Young Christian Workers is an international movement of young workers, founded in 1912 by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn in Belgium, to raise awareness of young workers about their own working and living situations, to analyse these and to take action to transform their reality to a more equal, just and solidarity-based society. In Asia-Pacific region the movement, run and organised by the young workers themselves, is present in 11 countries. The YCW’s in Asia mobilize young workers in most precarious and marginalized working conditions, such as pedicab drivers, factory workers, agricultural workers, brick line workers, casual workers, young miners etc., in order for them to take their lives into their own hands, to get a decent job and to claim their labour rights and right to social protection. YCW ASPAC accompanies the national YCW organisations in Asia-Pacific and their local base groups in developing and executing the actions for and with the young workers. Within the Asia Network on the Right to Social Protection, YCW ASPAC contributes to the reflection with other Asian partners on the challenges for young workers today, how to reach out to them and how to develop an action- oriented approach to achieve better working conditions for young workers in Asia.