Civil society groups call for broad-based ASEAN integration
Participants in the regional conference
on Civil Society Engagement in the ASEAN held in Bangkok
affirmed their support for the vision of an ASEAN community
by 2020 founded on security, economic and socio-cultural
development.
They also called on ASEAN governments to be more open to
civil society organizations in addressing urgent human rights
and development issues persisting within the region. These
issues cover areas such as globalization and free trade,
poverty, environment, labor, migration, human trafficking,
agriculture, sustainable development, rights to expression
and organization, among others.
The conference delegates reiterated the need for a transparent,
accountable, and pro-people process of building an ASEAN
community. They urged ASEAN governments to institutionalize
mechanisms for civil society organizations’ involvement
in decision-making processes in the ASEAN.
The regional conference was organized by South East Asian
Committee for Advocacy (SEACA), Asian Forum for Human Rights
and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Partnership for Development
of Human Resources in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA), and Sustainability
Watch-Asia. It was held from 03 to 05 October 2005 in Bangkok,
Thailand.
For the regional conference full statement, click here:
