AICHR Convenes Workshop on Raising Awareness and Sharing Best Practices on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at Sea
HA NOI, 26 June 2026 – The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened the Workshop on Raising Awareness and Sharing Best Practices on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at Sea on 26 June 2026 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Representative of Viet Nam to AICHR, highlighted that ensuring and promoting human rights remains a driving force of ASEAN Community-building. He emphasized the need to pay due attention to fishermen and seafarers, as Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s busiest sea lanes and is an important source of maritime labour. Hundreds of thousands of ASEAN seafarers and millions of fishers contribute significantly to international trade, maritime transport, food security, and global supply chains.
The maritime environment presents unique challenges, with many fishers and seafarers spending extended periods away from home under conditions distinct from those on land. Furthermore, emerging challenges such as climate change are increasingly affecting the safety, livelihoods, and well-being of those working at sea. Against this backdrop, the Workshop pursued three main objectives: to enhance understanding of relevant international and regional legal frameworks; to raise awareness and share experiences; and to explore practical recommendations for strengthening cooperation, capacity-building, and information-sharing.
During the four thematic sessions, participants explored the realities faced by maritime workers and discussed the cross-sectoral nature of human rights at sea, intersecting with labour, migration, maritime safety, fisheries, and sustainable development. The discussions reinforced the importance of the rule of law at sea and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal foundation for all ocean activities, while reaffirming that human rights at sea is fundamentally a matter of human dignity, decent work, safety, and human security. Accordingly, the Workshop emphasized closer cooperation and shared learning over comparison, focusing on improving practical outcomes rather than seeking identical legal systems.
To advance the protection of human rights at sea, participants underscored the importance of prioritizing capacity-building, strengthening information-sharing, and enhancing coordination mechanisms among relevant authorities. The Workshop identified key practical areas for further cooperation, including maritime safety, responsible business practices, and awareness-raising through existing ASEAN mechanisms and with Dialogue Partners as well as other relevant stakeholders.
The Workshop concluded that economic prosperity from the blue economy must not come at the expense of human dignity, keeping people at the centre of all development efforts. As ASEAN continues its journey towards a more resilient, inclusive, and people-centred Community, protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of maritime workers remains an integral part of that vision, ensuring the seas remain places where every fisherman and seafarer can work with dignity, safety, and hope.
The Workshop brought together Representatives of AICHR, H.E. Joanna Anderson, Ambassador of New Zealand to ASEAN, and officials from ASEAN Member States. It also gathered experts and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, Maritime New Zealand, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the ASEAN-ACT Program, Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, and Ha Noi Law University
The Workshop was hosted by AICHR Viet Nam, with support from the New Zealand Mission to ASEAN.