Politicians aim to help children

Politicians aim to help children

SINGAPORE (AP): Southeast Asian politicians plan to meet this week in Singapore to share ideas about how to protect the region's children from poverty and hunger and to help them become literate.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send ministers in charge of social welfare to Singapore for the meeting from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3. ASEAN said in a statement on Monday that Singapore President S.R. Nathan would open the meeting on Wednesday.

The gathering will address social challenges facing Southeast Asia "and focus on enhancing social development, particularly with regard to children, family and population issues", the statement said.

The last meeting of social welfare ministers was in December 1993 in Manila. During that meeting, members resolved to share ideas about the "survival, protection and development" of children in Southeast Asia.