29 October 2009
The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights
Abstract
On 23 October 2009, ASEAN leaders announced the launch of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights at the ASEAN Summit in Thailand. The member states endorsed the High Level Panel’s Terms of Reference on the human rights body and announced the new AICHR representatives who then met at the Summit. As part of the announcement, member states pledged to provide $200,000 to the AICHR in a start-up fund and stated that the fund will be topped up annually from member states and external sources. The new body will meet twice a year and as part of its oversight function the ASEAN Summit will review the body’s mandate every five years. The appointed member state representatives will serve three year terms with a maximum appointment for two terms. The member states did not establish a formal role for civil society and confusion surrounded civil society involvement at their planned meeting in Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand last weekend. Below is a list of the member state representatives to the new ASEAN human rights body and a brief overview of their professional backgrounds.
Abstract
On 23 October 2009, ASEAN leaders announced the launch of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights at the ASEAN Summit in Thailand. The member states endorsed the High Level Panel’s Terms of Reference on the human rights body and announced the new AICHR representatives who then met at the Summit. As part of the announcement, member states pledged to provide $200,000 to the AICHR in a start-up fund and stated that the fund will be topped up annually from member states and external sources. The new body will meet twice a year and as part of its oversight function the ASEAN Summit will review the body’s mandate every five years. The appointed member state representatives will serve three year terms with a maximum appointment for two terms. The member states did not establish a formal role for civil society and confusion surrounded civil society involvement at their planned meeting in Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand last weekend. Below is a list of the member state representatives to the new ASEAN human rights body and a brief overview of their professional backgrounds.
