Workshop Calls to Institutionalize an ASEAN Human Rights Commission

Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Franklin Ebdalin of the Philippines delivers the keynote speech on behalf of Hon. Alberto Romulo. Working Group Co-Chair Marzuki Darusman shares the stage after welcoming the participants.

(July 16-17, 2006/ Manila) Representatives of national human rights institutions (NHRIs), ministries of foreign affairs, non-governmental organizations, and the academe from all ten ASEAN-member states affirmed the need to institutionalize a human rights commission for the region. From these sectors, nearly a hundred are participating in the Sixth Workshop on the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights. The activity is co-organized by the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group), the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines (DFA) and the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.

In his keynote speech, Hon. Alberto Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, declared that a human rights commission is important in building an ASEAN community. One of the pillars of the so-called ASEAN Community is the security community, under which the promotion of human rights falls under. Romulo also pointed out that the creation of a regional human rights commission is especially pertinent at this time when ASEAN is in the process of drafting a legally-binding Chapter. The keynote was delivered by Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Franklin Ebdalin in behalf of Romulo.

Members of the Working Group presented current updates on the implementation of the human rights program areas of the Vientiane Action Program (VAP). The VAP maps out goals for each ASEAN community pillar which has to be achieved by 2010. It can be recalled that on the occasion of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane, Laos in 2005, ASEAN tasked the Working Group to provide its expertise and services towards the implementation of the VAP, particularly the on the establishment of an ASEAN commission on the protection and promotion of the rights of women and children, the elaboration of an ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of the rights migrant workers, the education and public awareness on human rights, and the networking of national human rights institutions.

Participants of the 6th Workshop.

Dr. Sripapha Petcharamesree, head of the Thai Working Group, and Dr. Varaporn Chamsit of Mahidol University presented the partial results of a study which analyzed ASEAN’s readiness for a regional commission on women and children’s rights. Separate updates were also given on national human rights institutions (NHRIs) cooperation, human rights education, and migrant workers.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the 6th Workshop,” said Working Group Co-Chair Marzuki Darusman, “we appreciate the fresh views offered by participants and observers who joined the discussions. Participation from all stakeholders, especially those from civil society, is important in the efforts to build an intergovernmental human rights commission”.

The Working Group organizes workshops annually to create a platform for dialogue on the establishment a human rights commission for Southeast Asia. It's first workshop took place in Kuala Lumpur in June 1997, which led to a seminal initiative to establish an ASEAN human rights mechanism. The workshops were hailed by an ASEAN Secretariat representative as one of the success stories of ASEAN government and civil society interaction.

Download the Summary of Proceedings of the Sixth Workshop on an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism.

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