AICHR convenes key dialogue on Business, Migration, and Human Rights in ASEAN
BANGKOK, 22 July 2025 – The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) concluded its Regional Dialogue on Responsible Business and Migration in ASEAN from 21-22 July in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Dialogue was organised by AICHR Thailand, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Bhanubhatra Jittiang, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice of Thailand, the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking Programme (ASEAN-ACT), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the International Justice Mission (IJM).
The two-day event convened over 100 participants from ASEAN Member States (AMS), ASEAN sectoral bodies, the ASEAN Secretariat, the private sector, civil society, academia, international organisations, and migrant worker groups. It served as a regional platform to explore how responsible business practices can enhance the protection and promotion of migrant worker rights across Southeast Asia.
The event was officiated by Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice of Thailand, with a special address by Mugiyanto, Vice Minister of Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, and keynote remarks delivered by Dr. Seree Nonthasoot, Member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and former Representative of Thailand to AICHR.
Discussions focused on good practices and the localisation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), emerging approaches to human rights due diligence (HRDD), and the experiences of governments, companies, and rights holders in advancing responsible business conduct in the context of migration.
Panellists shared practical examples and offered concrete recommendations from AMS, alongside contributions from corporate leaders, recruitment agencies, civil society actors, and survivors. These insights aimed to identify risks and strengthen protections for migrant workers in supply chains. They also addressed trends, gaps, and opportunities within national and regional frameworks for enhancing responsible business conduct to safeguard the rights of migrant workers.
Key recommendations from the Dialogue included a call for deeper integration of human rights into ASEAN’s economic frameworks, along with strengthened cross-pillar engagement with ASEAN sectoral bodies under the ASEAN Economic Community. Participants also encouraged the AICHR to explore its role further in promoting responsible business conduct and labour standards in the context of migration. Suggested actions included the development of practical tools and regionally aligned guidance for ASEAN businesses on implementing responsible business practices and promoting ethical recruitment, among others.
Participants further emphasised the need for ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogue to facilitate coordinated, rights-based responses. Such efforts would align with ASEAN’s broader objectives of inclusive and sustainable growth, while ensuring protection of migrant workers rights.