Press Release of Special Meeting 2/2023 of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)
The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened the Special Meeting 2/2023 from 7 to 10 November 2023 at ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Wahyuningrum, Representative of Indonesia to AICHR, and was attended by Representatives/Alternate Representatives of AICHR, and the ASEAN Secretariat. Timor-Leste attended the Meeting as Observer.
The Meeting was updated on recent developments on human rights in the region, including new laws and regulations at the national level related to human rights, and human rights initiatives in ASEAN Member States as presented by the AICHR Representatives of Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.
The Meeting discussed the implementation of AICHR’s Priority Programmes/Activities in 2023 and 2024 with a focus on the rights of women and children, rights of persons with disabilities, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of opinion and expression, disinformation and misinformation, business and human rights, environmental rights and climate change, countering trafficking in persons, and prevention of torture, human rights index, human rights and policing, ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue, among others.
The Meeting took note of the ASEAN Secretariat’s update on the Civil Society Organisations with Consultative Relationship with AICHR and the communications sent to AICHR in 2023. The Meeting deliberated the midterm review on the implementation of the AICHR Five-Year Work Plan 2021-2025, as well as other matters such as governance of the AICHR Fund and conduct of joint activities.
AICHR held the 2nd interface meeting with the ASEAN Environmental Rights Working Group (AER-WG) to discuss the progress and provide guidance for the AER-WG on the development of a regional framework on environmental rights in ASEAN.
On external relations, AICHR met with Switzerland and the United Nations to discuss the results and possible follow-ups from the AICHR Official Visit to Switzerland, and the 1st AICHR-UN Dialogue on Human Rights respectively. AICHR also met with Japan to discuss possible areas of cooperation in 2024.
The Meeting concluded with a handover ceremony from Indonesia as the Chair of AICHR to Lao PDR. The Meeting expressed its appreciation to H.E. Wahyuningrum and the Secretariat for excellent arrangements as the Chair of AICHR and welcomed Lao PDR as the Chair of AICHR 2024.
