Joint Press Release – The 8th Interface Meeting between the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Australia, 12 May 2025, ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat
The 8th Interface Meeting between the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Australia was held on 12 May 2025 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
The AICHR was led by its Chair, Edmund Bon Tai Soon, and the Australian delegation was headed by its Ambassador to ASEAN, Tiffany McDonald. The meeting was attended by AICHR Representatives/Alternate Representatives, and the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Chief Executive Leanne Smith, AHRC’s Team Lead for International Engagement, Joanna Mansfield, and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.
AICHR Representatives/Alternate Representatives and Australia’s representatives shared information on their respective human rights work and initiatives.
AICHR also highlighted its thematic priorities including programmes on business and human rights, trafficking in persons, forced labour, rights of persons with disabilities, youth engagement, digital and information rights, right to health, right to development, environment and climate change, gender equality, human rights protection, conflict prevention and human rights at sea, among others.
The Meeting also discussed potential areas of collaboration including knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, and recent human rights developments and emerging threats to human rights, such as online scamming, artificial intelligence, and regional conflicts.
Looking ahead, AICHR and Australia reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening collaboration and looked forward to future interface meetings as part of a sustained and constructive dialogue on human rights.
The Meeting concluded with appreciation extended to Malaysia and the ASEAN Secretariat for the excellent meeting arrangements.
