AICHR Roadshow on ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and the Role of AICHR

Jakarta, 13 November 2019

As one of the implementations of its 2019 Priority Programmes, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) held the activity related to the Roadshow on ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and the Role of AICHR at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on 13 November 2019. The event was named the 2019 Jakarta-AICHR Human Rights Dialogue (JAHRD).

In her welcome remarks, H.E. Yuyun Wahyuningrum, the Representative of Indonesia to the AICHR highlighted that since the adoption of the ASEAN 2020 in 1997, ASEAN continued to strengthen its commitment to engage more with civil society as the document stated the ASEAN’s commitment to create a “community of caring society” with the “greater participation of the people” and where “civil society is empowered”. Engaging stakeholders in dialogue and consultation is also part of the AICHR’s mandates.

In his opening remarks, the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the ASEAN, H.E. Ade Padmo Sarwono articulated that ASEAN has committed to include the promotion and protection of human rights as part of the efforts to build the ASEAN Community.

It is in that spirit, AICHR invited more than 80 participants coming from AICHR Representatives, civil society organisations, scholars, representatives of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and staff from the ASEAN Secretariat to commemorate its tenth-year anniversary. The JAHRD was an avenue for AICHR to discuss its achievements, gaps and challenges in the last decade since 2009.

The 2019 JAHRD also sought the inputs from the invited participants on the elaboration of two Articles in the AHRD. The first one is on Article 9 on the issues related to peoples’ participation, inclusivity and the need for accountability. The second is about the explanation related to Article 39 on the cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights.