Press Release: The AICHR Follow-Up Workshop on Post Millennium Development Goals 2015 and Human Rights
15 – 16 October 2014, Jakarta, Indonesia
The AICHR conducted the Follow-Up Workshop on Post Millennium Development Goals 2015 and Human Rights at Four Seasons Hotel, Jakarta on 15-16 October 2014. The convening of this Workshop is line with the recommendations of the previous AICHR Workshop on Post MDGs and Human Rights which was held in Jakarta in November 2013 as well as with AICHR Priority Programmes from 2013 which has organised several activites related to the achievement of MDGs.
In his Welcome Remarks, Mr. Rafendi Djamin, the Indonesian Representative to the AICHR, explained that the purpose of this workshop was, through the mandate of the AICHR in its Terms of Reference (TOR), among others to develop a common approaches and position of human rights of the interest of ASEAN
The two-day workshop discussed about how the 17 proposed Sustainable Development Goagls (SDGs) could be translated in the ASEAN context. It also discussed about how to spell out Human Rights Principles in the new SDGs in ASEAN and access to Justice and Development in the new SDGs. The participants of the workshop also exchange their views about how the ASEAN can engage and influence the post 2015 development agenda after the adoption of the SDGs, based on the Post 2015 ASEAN Vision that are now being formulated led by ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC).
The workshop recommends among others that the Post-2015 Development Agenda be anchored on the Human Rights principles and to ensure transparency, accountability, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms at local, national, and Regional/ASEAN level be adopted. It also recommends the need to develop human rights indicators to measure compliance with the SDGs and that the new SDGs should include a participatory mechanism or system to develop these indicators.
Other recommendations achieved that it recognizes the need to form closer collaborations between existing ASEAN Human Rights commissions and committees and the important role of civil society in the policy-making process of ASEAN to realize its Post 2015 development Agenda. In addition, the workshop notes the usefulness that AICHR, together with relevant ASEAN Sectorial bodies, develop a common ASEAN position on Human Rights and Post 2015 Development Agenda to be submitted to the ASEAN Foreign Minister Forum and to liaise with the ASEAN Geneva Committee as well as ASEAN New York Committee to ensure ASEAN voice/engagement in shaping Post 2015 Development Agenda.
The Workshop was attended by AICHR representatives and Alternate Representatives from some Member States, Representatives from relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, the National Focal points of MDG’s from ASEAN Member States, the National Human Rights Institutions from ASEAN Countries, ASEAN Secretariat, and national and regional civil society organizations from the region. Also in attendance were observers from United Nations specialized agencies, government agencies and other partners.
The Workshop was organized by AICHR led by Indonesian Representative to AICHR with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre.
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