Author: The ASEAN Secretariat
Year: July 2017
Country: ASEAN
For ve decades since its establishment, ASEAN as an intergovernmental organisation has always endeavoured towards improving the lives of the peoples in the region, particularly in the economic, political-security and socio- cultural aspects. Human rights are an integral part of the ASEAN Community and are re ected in the ASEAN Charter (Articles 1.7, 2.2.i, and 14), the ASEAN Political-Security Blueprint 2009-2015 (section A.1.5), and the ASEAN Political- Security Community Blueprint 2025 (section A.2.5).
ASEAN established regional human rights bodies re ecting its strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and to further ensure the wellbeing of its people. The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) were established in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
The AICHR, as the overarching human rights body in ASEAN with a cross-cutting mandate that handles matters related to human rights cooperation with other ASEAN Bodies, external partners and stakeholders, had set the tone for cooperation in human rights promotion and protection in ASEAN.
Yet how many people within the ASEAN region know of the AICHR? And how many are aware of how the AICHR came about and what mandates it holds? This booklet is intended to provide quick facts regarding the AICHR and the development of human rights in the ASEAN region.