ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: A two-day meeting of the heads of national coordination committees (NCCs) to discuss implementation of Saarc social charter will commence here on November 4.

Secretary Planning and Development Division Suhail Safdar will inaugurate the meeting to be hosted by the Planning Commission.

Apart from the Saarc Secretary General, participants from all the Saarc member states -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- will attend the meeting.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to the heads of the NCCs of respective Saarc Member States to exchange their views regarding implementation of the National Plan of Action prepared by each Member State.

The Saarc Social Charter provides an effective framework for member States to support programmes for achieving Saarc Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. The principal goal of Saarc is to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia, to improve their quality of life, to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realise their full potential.

Based on the shared knowledge of gaps and capabilities, the representatives will discuss at this forum the strategies for enhancing cooperation at the regional level with a view to gaining insight from successful practices of one another and realization of targets of Saarc Social Charter at regional level.

The SAARC Social Charter was signed by Saarc member states in Islamabad on January 2004 with the principles of addressing common social issues and developing and implementing result-oriented programmes in specific social areas.

The participating member states would share progress and current status on the implementation of social charter on health, nutrition, food security, safe drinking water, sanitation, population activities, preventing and combating trafficking of women and children.

The countries of South Asia have been linked by age-old cultural, social and historical traditions and they have enriched the interaction of ideas, values, cultures and philosophies among the people and the States and these commonalities constitute solid foundations for regional cooperation for addressing more effectively the economic and social needs of people.

All member States attach high importance to the imperative of social development and economic growth and their national legislative, executive and administrative frameworks provide, in varying degrees, for the progressive realization of social and economic goals, with specific provisions, where appropriate, for the principles of equity, affirmative action and public interest.

The member countries have great opportunities to enhance cooperation in the specific areas such as health, nutrition, food security, safe drinking water, sanitation, population activities, child development and rights along with gender equality, participation of women in development, and welfare of the elderly people.