PEMSEA Annual Report 2023: Thirty Years On: Accelerating Impact for Thriving Coasts and Ocean in the East Asian Seas Region

Thirty years of inclusive sustainable development work in the coastal and marine areas of the East Asian Seas region have brought significant benefits and lasting impacts to PEMSEA partners and communities. The Annual Report 2023 brings you the stories and milestones of the Partnerships, commemorating the thirty years of Partnerships, and looks ahead to a new decade of inclusive and sustainable ocean governance in the East Asian Seas region.

 

Envisioned to guide in mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in IRBM Project implementation, the report provides information and perspectives on the GESI context (or gender and social similarities and differences) in the participating river basins in the ASEAN region, including the gendered impact of development challenges such as water scarcity and pollution, waste management, disasters, climate change, etc. as experienced by women, men and vulnerable populations living in and around the project sites. The report also suggests ways forward to enhance and mainstream GESI into work plans and budgets at the river basin level, a process that will be supported by the project.

With the title "Connection and Voices: Setting the Sail in 2024," the second edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter highlighted the promotion of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) to ensure a more inclusive approach in the implementation of all project components. Hear from the voices of community and local partners on the issues confronting the river basins in their respective countries, and the importance of representing the marginalised and more vulnerable sectors in the community. 

The 32nd PEMSEA Executive Committee (EC) Meeting was conducted virtually on 19 March 2024 via Zoom. Participants of the meeting included the EC members , particularly the Chair and Co-Chair, Intergovernmental Session Chair and Co-Chair, the Technical Session Chair of the EAS Partnership Council (PC), and the Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF). Observers from the China PEMSEA Center, Ministry of Environment (MoE) of Cambodia, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines also attended the meeting. PRF served as the Secretariat of the meeting.