The four-day ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights’ (AICHR) meeting, beginning today will focus on its work plan agenda for the next five years (2016-2020).
KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) — The four-day ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights’ (AICHR) meeting, beginning today will focus on its work plan agenda for the next five years (2016-2020).
Malaysia’s representative to the AICHR, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who chaired the meeting said the plan would be discussed in detail to ensure protection of human rights in ASEAN countries.
“This meeting is very important and intensive because we must produce a plan for five years at the latest by June or July, and submit the five-year plan to the higher authorities, which are the foreign ministry and the ‘ASEAN Summit’.
“There are many contributions from the 10 countries. So, it will take a lot of time. Therefore, we will hold a special meeting just for this, focusing on a five-year plan,” he told reporters outside the special meeting here Saturday.
This is the second meeting under Malaysia’s chairmanship of AICHR this year.
The meeting is regarded as an important channel for all AICHR representatives to discuss its direction in ensuring the continuation of efforts to promote and protect human rights in ASEAN, as stipulated in AICHR’s terms of reference.
Muhammad Shafee said the meeting would also touch on a proposal to implement a number of studies, including the role of the media in the development of human rights in the country and ASEAN.
“Besides that, all plans that were not implemented in the ‘first five year plan (2010-2015) will also be brought into this session,” he added.
— BERNAMA
