ASEAN rights body to be established in 2009

The inauguration of an ASEAN human rights body is expected to take place in October this year, an official from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a recent forum of the region’s four national human rights institutions.

He said the draft terms of reference for the proposed body will be discussed at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AFMM), held during the 14th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in late February, with the final terms of reference expected to be ready for consideration by the AFMM in July 2009.

Subject to the approval of the terms of reference, the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body – which would cover 570 million people across the 10 Member States – will be announced at the 15th ASEAN Summit to be held in October 2009.

The four national human rights institutions (NHRIs) of the ASEAN region – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand – have a particular interest in how the proposed new body will operate and, in particular, how it will include the independent participation of NHRIs.

In September 2008, the ASEAN NHRI Forum submitted a joint position paper to the High Level Panel responsible for drafting the terms of reference for the ASEAN human rights body.

“The AHRB and the NHRIs have a complementary role in promotion and protection of human rights in the region,” the submission said. “As such, the AHRB should work in partnership with existing NHRIs, particularly in monitoring human rights situations and treaty compliance at the national level.”

“The AHRB should coordinate with and involve the NHRIs in its activities at the national level. The NHRIs can render expertise and advice in establishing a national human rights institution in ASEAN Member States which still do not have one.”

In addition to discussions about the proposed regional human rights body, the 5th Annual Consultative Meeting of the ASEAN NHRI Forum, held in Bangkok from 19-22 January, reviewed progress on a number of human rights issues of shared concern.

Hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, the productive three day meeting focused on how the NHRIs will continue to cooperate on individual and joint projects on the rights of migrant workers; human trafficking; human rights and anti-terrorism; economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development; and human rights education.

A new website – www.aseannhriforum.org – was launched at the meeting to improve communication between the four member institutions and to highlight their individual and joint activities.

Other invited participants at the meeting included the European Commission, the OHCHR (Bangkok) and the APF, which was represented by Secretariat Deputy Director Pip Dargan.

The 6th Annual Consultative Meeting of the ASEAN NHRI Forum will be hosted by the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights in November or December 2009.