Welcome & Introduce

Mega Irena

As the Head of Labour and Civil Service Division, Ms. Irena is responsible for the facilitation and coordination of ASEAN sectoral cooperation on labour and migration, among others. The areas of cooperation include human resources development, skills development and recognition, TVET, productive employment, OSH and social security of workers. Previously her portfolios also covered social protection of vulnerable groups; gender and women empowerment; rural development; poverty eradication; education; and youth. In 2003-2005, she managed the ASEAN project on legal review and capacity building of intellectual property laws and access to generic antiretroviral drugs as affordable medicine.

She supported the negotiation process of the ASEAN Consensus on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers since 2011 until its adoption by the ASEAN Leaders in 2017. Simultaneously, she was also involved in the drafting process of the Terms of Reference of ASEAN Commission on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) and supporting the work of ACWC in 2010-2017. She was involved in the development of numerous ASEAN Declarations, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, Work Plans of ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, and other key documents. She also facilitated partnerships with ASEAN Dialogue Partners, civil society, employers’ organisations, trade unions, and other external parties.

Previously, she was an assistant professor at Department of International Relations, University of Indonesia, for various subjects and a visiting professor at University of Malaya. She obtained her postgraduate degree on international relations from Universiteit van Amsterdam in 2003.