Brunei Darussalam’s Rule of Law & Human Rights

Brunei joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 8 January 1984. Brunei has chaired ASEAN in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2013. Human rights-related achievements or statements of intent under Brunei’s Chairmanship include:

• The 2001 7^th ASEAN Summit Declaration on HIV/AIDS, through which ASEAN agreed to address the stigma and silence surrounding HIV/AIDS, eliminate discrimination against those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and provide for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
• The Chairman’s statement during the 22^nd ASEAN Summit in April 2013, in which the Chair encouraged:
  • the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to implement the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration,
  • the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) to prevent violence against women and children through a public information campaign and the drafting of an ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children, and
  • the ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM) to conclude the drafting of the ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers.

The Legislative Council became a member  of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in August 2009 during the 30^th AIPA General Assembly in Pattaya, Thailand.