New Chairpersons for Cambodian Working Group, Thai Working Group

Dr. Kek Galabru and Dr. Sriprapha share a light moment during a Working Group meeting.

Two national working groups of the region-wide Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism have new chairpersons.

Taking over as chairperson of the Thai Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Thai Working Group) will be Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree. A driving force behind the Thai Working Group since its inception in 1997, Dr. Sriprapha is also the director of the Office of Human Rights Studies and Social Development of Mahidol University and a member of the Subcommittees on Human Rights Situation Assessment, Child Rights, and Administration of Justice and Legislation of the Thai National Human Rights Commission. She is also the current Chair of the Human Rights Education Working Group of the Thai Ministry of Education.

The Cambodian Working Group has also named Dr. Kek Galabru as its new chairperson. Dr. Kek has a background in medicine, but is best known for her human rights work. In 1987, she played a key role in facilitating the first negotiations between King Sihanouk and Prime Minister Hun Sen. This led to the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1991, which mandated a United Nations mission to Cambodia to supervise elections and resolve the long-standing conflict. Dr. Kek is currently the president of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Right (popularly known by its French acronym, LICADHO), an organization which she founded.

Both women take the leadership roles of their respective National Working Groups at a pivotal time. Under Dr. Sriprapha’s leadership, the Thai Working Group is producing a research paper that will hopefully be used by ASEAN in setting up a commission on the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children. The Cambodian Working Group, with Dr. Kek at the helm, will support the drafting of a law which will enable the creation of a national human rights commission in Cambodia.

“We warmly congratulate Sriprapha and Kek on their new positions. The Thai and Cambodian Working Groups are dynamic and active, thanks to their efforts. We can only expect bigger things now that they are both leading their respective National Working Groups,” said Mr. Marzuki Darusman, co-chair of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism.