Established in 1995, the Working Group on Human Resource Development (WGHRD) has been addressing subregional issues in education and skills development, labor and migration, health, and social development. The first Strategic Framework and Action Plan for human resource development in the Greater Mekong Subregion for 2009-2012 was formally endorsed at the 15th GMS Ministerial Conference in June 2009. This was superseded by the second framework and action plan for 2013-2017 endorsed at the 18th GMS Ministerial Conference in December 2012.
The goal of the HRD strategy is to foster sustainable regional human resource development to contribute to increased subregional competitiveness, connectivity and community. The objectives are to support HRD initiatives that directly facilitate the process of subregional cooperation and integration, and address cross-border HRD issues directly linked to GMS integration.
Structure
The overarching WHGRD consists of five representatives from each country - a WGHRD focal point plus a focal point for each of the four subsectors:
- education,
- health,
- labor and migration, and
- social development.
Separate subsector working groups have been formed with the subsector focal points as members. Furthermore, country subsector focal points convene meetings of ministries and agencies to facilitate country-level discussion on specific action.