KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) will convene at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta from today to Friday, chaired by Malaysian representative to the AICHR Datuk Edmund Bon Tai Soon, said Wisma Putra.
It said Malaysia’s leadership of this meeting underscores its commitment to advancing human rights promotion and protection through regional dialogue and the exploration of new avenues for collaboration.
“The meeting will strengthen Asean-wide cooperation on human rights, bringing the region closer to goals enshrined in the Asean Human Rights Declaration 2012 and Asean’s community vision,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement today.
According to Wisma Putra, the meeting will gather 10 AICHR representatives/alternate representatives, Timor Leste’s representative (as an observer), and Asean Secretariat officials.
“The meeting will discuss recent human rights developments in Asean and the proposed Asean Declarations on the Rights to Development, Peace, and a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment,” it said.
It said the meeting will also deliberate on the AICHR Five-Year Work Plan for 2026 to 2030 and its priority programmes for 2026.
In preparation for the 15th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) interface with AICHR scheduled for July in Kuala Lumpur, AICHR will finalise its 2025 annual report to brief the AMM on its progress, challenges and future direction.
AICHR will also hold meetings with the Committee of Permanent Representatives to Asean; The Working Group for an Asean Human Rights Mechanism; representatives of Child Rights Coalition Asia, including children and the Asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children; Asean University Network-Human Rights Education; and dialogue partners Australia, Norway, Japan, the European Union, Switzerland, and South Korea, the statement said.
— Bernama
