Development of the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism

Λεπτομερής ανάλυση 25-09-2012

The study examines developments concerning human rights mechanism(s) in the Southeast Asian region, in the space known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a view to strengthening relations between the European Union and the region. The ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) has now been set up as the overarching body to promote and protect human rights in the ASEAN. Two sectoral bodies working on human rights have also appeared: the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) and the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW). The study thus makes a number of recommendations to European institutions to help strengthen the mechanisms mentioned, while building also other checks and balances, including national human rights institutions. The door is open to a regional Declaration and or treaty on human rights, and a regional court. Various recommendations are also targeted to the European Parliament, including to help support parliamentarians in the ASEAN region to integrate human rights into their work.