Asean rights body prepares Human Rights Declaration

MANILA, Philippines—The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights is preparing the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) for its next meeting in November in Thailand, it was learned.

In a news release, the commission said it has finalized its five-year work plan, including its budget for the period 2012-2015 after it convened its third meeting on 20-24 September 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

During that meeting, representatives also discussed the implementation of the Priority Programmes/Activities for 2010-2011 as a follow-up to its adoption at the recent 43rd Asean Ministerial Meeting (Hanoi, July 2010).

On the sidelines of the Third Meeting, the commission also met with the Working Group for an Asean Human Rights Mechanism, which is an entity associated with Asean. The two sides exchanged views on the directions for their future cooperation.

Asean groups together Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It seeks regional integration at the socio-economic, political, and cultural levels. –INQUIRER.net