CCHR Press Release - CCHR Welcomes First Draft of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaratio​n But Urges Full Transparen​cy and Meaningful Consultati​on with All Stakeholde​rs

CCHR Press Release – Phnom Penh, 8 January 2012

CCHR Welcomes First Draft of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration But Urges Full Transparency and Meaningful Consultation with All Stakeholders

One of the key steps in the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (“ASEAN”) – creating an ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (“AHRD”) – is one stage closer to fruition. The first draft of the AHRD has now been completed and is set to come before the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (the “AICHR”) during its 11th meeting to be held on 8 and 9 January 2012 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. While CCHR welcomes the AICHR meeting and discussion of the AHRD, it calls upon the AICHR to ensure meaningful consultation with all stakeholders during the drafting process by making the draft AHRD available to the public as soon as possible.

The drafting process of the AHRD to date has been marred by a lack of transparency and consultation with either the public or civil society. Neither preliminary drafts of the AHRD nor even the terms of reference of the Drafting Group, which was established by the AICHR to oversee formulation of the AHRD, have been shared with the public. Consequently, no interested parties have been given the opportunity to provide input on the first draft of the AHRD. It is not clear, for example, whether there will be any enforcement mechanism at a national level as regards the AHRD.

This is an historic moment for Cambodia, as it will see the creation of the first regional human rights instrument in Asia on its watch – the AICHR Chair for 2012 is Om Yentieng, senior minister and president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee. However, in order to make the most of this legacy, Om Yentieng must ensure that the drafting process for the AHRD is transparent and open to meaningful public and civil society consultation, as it is an issue of vital importance to all people of Southeast Asia.

Ou Virak, President of CCHR, says:

“The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration is of huge significance to the people of Southeast Asia, and CCHR welcomes its existence. Hopefully it can fulfill expectations and be a benchmark for all ASEAN member states to abide by. However, in order for it to have the right impact, the beneficiaries and all interested parties must be given the opportunity to partake in the drafting process, which unfortunately has not occurred to date. The AICHR should also provide civil society with the chance to make a valid contribution – it should therefore make drafts of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration available to the public and organize a meaningful civil society consultation process.”

For more information, please contact CCHR President Ou Virak via telephone at +855 (0) 12 40 40 51 or e-mail at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org.

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