Disclosure: I am part of MARUAH.
When the ASEAN Charter was signed 2 years ago, it contained a clause requiring the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body. This clause was deliberately kept short and vague, so as to get all the ASEAN countries to agree to it. There was no definition to the body, nothing on its scope, powers, and composition.
Well, the Terms of Reference for the body (now called the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights) have been agreed. The next phase in this process is for the governments to appoint their representatives to the Commission.
MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism) is therefore holding a public Consultation Workshop on the Commission and the selection of Singapore's representative to the Commission, on 22 August, 8.30am to 3.45pm. All are invited and it is free. Online registration can be completed here. Please attend if you have any interest in human rights.
Showing posts with label ASEAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ASEAN. Show all posts
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Monday, 2 June 2008
An ASEAN Human Rights body: A Milestone in the 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Talk and forum on the ASEAN human rights mechanism
Maruah Singapore and the Asia-Europe Foundation are pleased to jointly present a lecture on:
A Milestone in the 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn
Co-Chair of the Civil Society Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
Date and time:
Wed, 11 June 2008, 4:00 to 5:30 pm
Venue:
Asia-Europe Foundation 31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace (Off Pasir Panjang Road). Free admission.
You are cordially invited to a reception after the lecture
Abstract
This year is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a key UN declaration regarded as the bedrock for setting human rights standards worldwide. The year also coincides auspiciously with the possible establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights “body”, a mechanism referred to in Article 14 in the recently adopted ASEAN Charter and currently in the process of ratification. How will that body be established substantively and to what extent will it respond to the aspirations of the Universal Declaration? Will it bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality? Furthermore, what impact will the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights body have on Asia-Europe dialogue? These are some of the issues the speaker will address during his presentation.
This lecture takes place on the sidelines of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism meeting, on the 12 of June 2008 in Singapore.
Profile of Speaker
Vitit Muntarbhorn is a Professor of Law at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. He is currently UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the DPR Korea. He is also Co-Chair of the Civil Society Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism.
Professor Muntharbhorn is an eminent expert in human rights with more than 1000 publications and combines the qualities of a scholar, an educator, a policy-making adviser and a grass-root human rights activist. He has served in various capacities for the United Nations system. In 1990-1994, he was Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. He was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education in 2004.
About Maruah Singapore
Maruah Singapore is a group of individuals who have made a commitment to the process of facilitating for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. We believe that such a process will be good for the region and for Singapore. We come from all backgrounds professionals, students, homemakers, academics, activists, lawyers, doctors, writers united in our desire to make a difference on the ground and at policy-level.
Maruah means “Dignity” in Malay, Singapore’s national language. We are keen to impress that Human Rights is all about maintaining, restoring and reclaiming one’s dignity at the individual, regional and international level.
For further information, please visit http://www.maruah.org/
About the Asia-Europe Foundation
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) advances mutual understanding and collaboration between the people of Asia and Europe through intellectual, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges. These exchanges include conferences, lecture tours, workshops, seminars and the use of web-based platforms. The major achievement of ASEF is the establishment of permanent bi-regional networks focussed on areas and issues that help to strengthen Asia-Europe relations.
Established in February 1997 by the partners of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)[1], ASEF reports to a board of governors representing the ASEM partners. ASEF is the only permanent physical institution of the ASEM process. Since 1997, the Foundation has initiated projects engaging 14,000 individuals from Asia and Europe. ASEF works in partnership with other public institutions and civil society actors to ensure its work is broad-based and balanced among the partner countries.
This particular lecture is organised under ASEF’s governance pillar. ASEF reinforces the role of civil society in good governance with Asia-Europe exchanges that benefit the peoples of both regions.
Our programmes:
- Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights - engenders groundbreaking government-civil society dialogue on various dimensions of human rights.
-Democratisation and Justice Series - platform to explore differences, similarities and challenges of democratisation processes, particularly in countries undergoing political transition in Asia and Europe.
For further information, please visit http://www.asef.org/
Maruah Singapore and the Asia-Europe Foundation are pleased to jointly present a lecture on:
An ASEAN Human Rights body:
A Milestone in the 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn
Co-Chair of the Civil Society Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
Date and time:
Wed, 11 June 2008, 4:00 to 5:30 pm
Venue:
Asia-Europe Foundation 31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace (Off Pasir Panjang Road). Free admission.
You are cordially invited to a reception after the lecture
Abstract
This year is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a key UN declaration regarded as the bedrock for setting human rights standards worldwide. The year also coincides auspiciously with the possible establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights “body”, a mechanism referred to in Article 14 in the recently adopted ASEAN Charter and currently in the process of ratification. How will that body be established substantively and to what extent will it respond to the aspirations of the Universal Declaration? Will it bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality? Furthermore, what impact will the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights body have on Asia-Europe dialogue? These are some of the issues the speaker will address during his presentation.
This lecture takes place on the sidelines of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism meeting, on the 12 of June 2008 in Singapore.
Profile of Speaker
Vitit Muntarbhorn is a Professor of Law at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. He is currently UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the DPR Korea. He is also Co-Chair of the Civil Society Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism.Professor Muntharbhorn is an eminent expert in human rights with more than 1000 publications and combines the qualities of a scholar, an educator, a policy-making adviser and a grass-root human rights activist. He has served in various capacities for the United Nations system. In 1990-1994, he was Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. He was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education in 2004.
About Maruah Singapore
Maruah Singapore is a group of individuals who have made a commitment to the process of facilitating for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. We believe that such a process will be good for the region and for Singapore. We come from all backgrounds professionals, students, homemakers, academics, activists, lawyers, doctors, writers united in our desire to make a difference on the ground and at policy-level.
Maruah means “Dignity” in Malay, Singapore’s national language. We are keen to impress that Human Rights is all about maintaining, restoring and reclaiming one’s dignity at the individual, regional and international level.
For further information, please visit http://www.maruah.org/
About the Asia-Europe Foundation
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) advances mutual understanding and collaboration between the people of Asia and Europe through intellectual, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges. These exchanges include conferences, lecture tours, workshops, seminars and the use of web-based platforms. The major achievement of ASEF is the establishment of permanent bi-regional networks focussed on areas and issues that help to strengthen Asia-Europe relations.Established in February 1997 by the partners of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)[1], ASEF reports to a board of governors representing the ASEM partners. ASEF is the only permanent physical institution of the ASEM process. Since 1997, the Foundation has initiated projects engaging 14,000 individuals from Asia and Europe. ASEF works in partnership with other public institutions and civil society actors to ensure its work is broad-based and balanced among the partner countries.
This particular lecture is organised under ASEF’s governance pillar. ASEF reinforces the role of civil society in good governance with Asia-Europe exchanges that benefit the peoples of both regions.
Our programmes:
- Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights - engenders groundbreaking government-civil society dialogue on various dimensions of human rights.
-Democratisation and Justice Series - platform to explore differences, similarities and challenges of democratisation processes, particularly in countries undergoing political transition in Asia and Europe.
For further information, please visit http://www.asef.org/
Monday, 24 March 2008
Women and an ASEAN Human Rights Body: A commemoration of International Women’s Day
I have been tardy in updating this blog, mostly because I took some personal time after the Budget debates and after that I have been focusing on work. Over the next few days, I will post some updates on my speeches during the Budget debates, and also try to figure out how to add Vodpod to this blog.
In the meantime, MARUAH Singapore is organising a forum in partnership with AWARE, Unifem Singapore and the Society of Financial Service Professionals, to commemorate International Women's Day. Please do attend if you can.
Date: Saturday 29th March
Event description:
Singapore holds the chairmanship of Asean from July 2007-July 2008. During it’s tenure, Asean countries signed the Asean Charter. Article 14 of the Charter affirms Asean’s commitment to the ‘protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms’. To promote these aims, Article 14 calls for the setting up of an “Asean human rights body”. Singapore was the first country to ratify this treaty.
What is the current status of women’s rights in Asean and how can Article 14 make a tangible difference in advancing these rights? How much further does Asean have to go in the sphere of gender equality and human rights?
Come down and listen to the views of speakers both local and regional on these questions and more.
Please RSVP attendance to:
maruahforum@gmail.com
Time: 3-5pm (Registration begins at 2.30pm)
Venue: Function Hall, 5th Storey Podium, URA Building
In the meantime, MARUAH Singapore is organising a forum in partnership with AWARE, Unifem Singapore and the Society of Financial Service Professionals, to commemorate International Women's Day. Please do attend if you can.
Date: Saturday 29th March
Event description:
Singapore holds the chairmanship of Asean from July 2007-July 2008. During it’s tenure, Asean countries signed the Asean Charter. Article 14 of the Charter affirms Asean’s commitment to the ‘protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms’. To promote these aims, Article 14 calls for the setting up of an “Asean human rights body”. Singapore was the first country to ratify this treaty.
What is the current status of women’s rights in Asean and how can Article 14 make a tangible difference in advancing these rights? How much further does Asean have to go in the sphere of gender equality and human rights?
Come down and listen to the views of speakers both local and regional on these questions and more.
Please RSVP attendance to:
maruahforum@gmail.com
Time: 3-5pm (Registration begins at 2.30pm)
Venue: Function Hall, 5th Storey Podium, URA Building
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
OPQ 21 January 2008: Myanmar
I am involved with a group called MARUAH Singapore, that is basically a group of people in Singapore who seek to, as our mission statement says, "inform and facilitate, from a Singaporean perspective, the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body".
This stems from the section of the ASEAN Charter that provides for the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body. We are the Singapore focal point for a regional group called the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, which is recognised as an entity associated with ASEAN in the ASEAN Charter.
So I was glad when Ms Irene Ng filed her PQ on the recent ASEAN Summit. What happened there, when Myanmar basically stymied all efforts to discuss the situation there, thereby thoroughly embarrassing Singapore as host and ASEAN chair and causing the ongoing reconciliation efforts to grind to a halt, was not acceptable.
When the Minister mentioned the work on the creation of the human rights body, I wanted to find out the Government's view on local civil society. This followed from Foreign Minister George Yeo's earlier comment in November welcoming the involvement of civil society in the work to implement the ASEAN Charter, as well as one of the purposes of the ASEAN Charter being to promote a people-oriented ASEAN. I believe that for the ASEAN Charter to be genuinely people-oriented, each government must canvass for, consider and incorporate the views of its own people.
Unfortunately, it seems that the Government does not quite agree, as can be seen from the Minister's answer to my question, that the way for civil society to participate is through the ASEAN Secretariat. That is a little disappointing, because surely the Singapore Government should at least engage and dialogue with Singapore civil society directly.
3. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs for an assessment of the ASEAN Summit and an update of the major initiatives discussed and agreed upon, such as the ASEAN Charter.
The Second Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Ms Irene Ng has asked for an assessment of the recent ASEAN Summit in Singapore, which was held from 18-22 November. Overall, the Singapore Summit achieved its main outcomes. Although Myanmar was a major concern, it did not derail the proceedings. I will respond to the questions on Myanmar from Ms Ng later.
First and foremost, Leaders signed the milestone ASEAN Charter. This will transform ASEAN into a more effective and rules-based organisation. This in turn will change the way ASEAN is being perceived, both from within and without the region. However, to ensure that ASEAN realises its full potential as envisaged in the Charter, we need to bring it into force as soon as possible. Thus, ratification and implementation will be a key priority for the next phase of Singapore's Chairmanship as ASEAN Leaders have agreed to aim for ratification of the ASEAN Charter within a year. Singapore itself has already deposited its Instrument of Ratification on 7th January. In addition, as Chair, we will also work towards putting in place the new mechanisms of ASEAN, including dispute settlement mechanisms and start work on the terms of reference of the proposed ASEAN human rights body.
Second, Leaders endorsed a Blueprint on the ASEAN Economic Community. This will help ASEAN realise its goal of an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 by setting out clear targets and timelines for the implementation of various activities. ASEAN will now begin working on implementing the Blueprint quickly, so that our 10 ASEAN economies can integrate into a single market and production base, capable of competing alongside regional powerhouses like India and China. Similar blueprints will also be established for the other two pillars of community building - the Political-Security and Socio-Cultural pillars.
Third, Leaders also addressed global issues of concern to the region, namely "Energy, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development" and issued three significant Declarations. In particular, ASEAN has resolved to cooperate more closely on key environmental issues such as combating transboundary environmental pollution and sustainable forest management. In fact, with the global focus on climate change, the Singapore Summit has paved the way for sustained dialogue on this key issue and increased regional cooperation. At the subsequent UNFCCC meetings in Bali last month, for instance, ASEAN agreed to work on an ASEAN Climate Change Initiative, which will strengthen ASEAN's coordination and cooperation in addressing Climate Change.
Fourth, besides strengthening ASEAN internally, ASEAN also had productive Summit meetings with its Dialogue Partners like China, Japan, Korea, India and the EU. ASEAN celebrated the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN+3 relations by adopting an important Joint Statement and workplan on East Asia Cooperation. We also had good discussions with the EU on how to deepen our cooperation at the special ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit marking 30 years of relations. Finally, the 3rd East Asia Summit was a very substantive meeting, with the Leaders discussing the environment and climate change, as well as agreeing to deepen EAS cooperation in important areas like energy security, economics and natural disaster mitigation.
We now look forward to the second half of Singapore's ASEAN Chairmanship, which will culminate with the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences and the ASEAN Regional Forum that Singapore will host in July. We will continue to push ASEAN to implement important initiatives like the ASEAN Charter, strengthen cooperation in key areas like the environment and transborder challenges, as well as deepen external relations with its various partners.
Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong (Tampines): Several ASEAN members, including Philippines and some quarters of Indonesia, have indicated that they will stall the signing of the ASEAN Charter until Myanmar resolves its problem. Can I ask the Minister how confident he is that the ASEAN Charter can be ratified by the one-year timeframe?
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I think it is very important that we get this Charter ratified. And Singapore, at the Chair, will do all that we can to try to ensure that this is done.
Mr Siew Kum Hong: Sir, the Minister has mentioned that the process on drafting the terms of reference for the ASEAN human rights body will proceed. I would just like to ask the Minister how will this process incorporate the views of Singaporeans and Singapore's civil society, given that the ASEAN Charter aims to create a people-centred ASEAN?
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: We already had civil society groups that had given views to ASEAN on the ASEAN Charter and the proposed human rights body. The way to do this is through the ASEAN Secretariat. The think-tank - the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies - has also done so. There is also a working group on ASEAN human rights mechanism co-chaired by Mr Marzuki Darusman and Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn.
This stems from the section of the ASEAN Charter that provides for the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body. We are the Singapore focal point for a regional group called the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, which is recognised as an entity associated with ASEAN in the ASEAN Charter.
So I was glad when Ms Irene Ng filed her PQ on the recent ASEAN Summit. What happened there, when Myanmar basically stymied all efforts to discuss the situation there, thereby thoroughly embarrassing Singapore as host and ASEAN chair and causing the ongoing reconciliation efforts to grind to a halt, was not acceptable.
When the Minister mentioned the work on the creation of the human rights body, I wanted to find out the Government's view on local civil society. This followed from Foreign Minister George Yeo's earlier comment in November welcoming the involvement of civil society in the work to implement the ASEAN Charter, as well as one of the purposes of the ASEAN Charter being to promote a people-oriented ASEAN. I believe that for the ASEAN Charter to be genuinely people-oriented, each government must canvass for, consider and incorporate the views of its own people.
Unfortunately, it seems that the Government does not quite agree, as can be seen from the Minister's answer to my question, that the way for civil society to participate is through the ASEAN Secretariat. That is a little disappointing, because surely the Singapore Government should at least engage and dialogue with Singapore civil society directly.
OPQ
ASEAN SUMMIT
(Assessment and update of major initiatives)
3. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs for an assessment of the ASEAN Summit and an update of the major initiatives discussed and agreed upon, such as the ASEAN Charter.
The Second Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Ms Irene Ng has asked for an assessment of the recent ASEAN Summit in Singapore, which was held from 18-22 November. Overall, the Singapore Summit achieved its main outcomes. Although Myanmar was a major concern, it did not derail the proceedings. I will respond to the questions on Myanmar from Ms Ng later.
First and foremost, Leaders signed the milestone ASEAN Charter. This will transform ASEAN into a more effective and rules-based organisation. This in turn will change the way ASEAN is being perceived, both from within and without the region. However, to ensure that ASEAN realises its full potential as envisaged in the Charter, we need to bring it into force as soon as possible. Thus, ratification and implementation will be a key priority for the next phase of Singapore's Chairmanship as ASEAN Leaders have agreed to aim for ratification of the ASEAN Charter within a year. Singapore itself has already deposited its Instrument of Ratification on 7th January. In addition, as Chair, we will also work towards putting in place the new mechanisms of ASEAN, including dispute settlement mechanisms and start work on the terms of reference of the proposed ASEAN human rights body.
Second, Leaders endorsed a Blueprint on the ASEAN Economic Community. This will help ASEAN realise its goal of an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 by setting out clear targets and timelines for the implementation of various activities. ASEAN will now begin working on implementing the Blueprint quickly, so that our 10 ASEAN economies can integrate into a single market and production base, capable of competing alongside regional powerhouses like India and China. Similar blueprints will also be established for the other two pillars of community building - the Political-Security and Socio-Cultural pillars.
Third, Leaders also addressed global issues of concern to the region, namely "Energy, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development" and issued three significant Declarations. In particular, ASEAN has resolved to cooperate more closely on key environmental issues such as combating transboundary environmental pollution and sustainable forest management. In fact, with the global focus on climate change, the Singapore Summit has paved the way for sustained dialogue on this key issue and increased regional cooperation. At the subsequent UNFCCC meetings in Bali last month, for instance, ASEAN agreed to work on an ASEAN Climate Change Initiative, which will strengthen ASEAN's coordination and cooperation in addressing Climate Change.
Fourth, besides strengthening ASEAN internally, ASEAN also had productive Summit meetings with its Dialogue Partners like China, Japan, Korea, India and the EU. ASEAN celebrated the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN+3 relations by adopting an important Joint Statement and workplan on East Asia Cooperation. We also had good discussions with the EU on how to deepen our cooperation at the special ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit marking 30 years of relations. Finally, the 3rd East Asia Summit was a very substantive meeting, with the Leaders discussing the environment and climate change, as well as agreeing to deepen EAS cooperation in important areas like energy security, economics and natural disaster mitigation.
We now look forward to the second half of Singapore's ASEAN Chairmanship, which will culminate with the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences and the ASEAN Regional Forum that Singapore will host in July. We will continue to push ASEAN to implement important initiatives like the ASEAN Charter, strengthen cooperation in key areas like the environment and transborder challenges, as well as deepen external relations with its various partners.
Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong (Tampines): Several ASEAN members, including Philippines and some quarters of Indonesia, have indicated that they will stall the signing of the ASEAN Charter until Myanmar resolves its problem. Can I ask the Minister how confident he is that the ASEAN Charter can be ratified by the one-year timeframe?
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I think it is very important that we get this Charter ratified. And Singapore, at the Chair, will do all that we can to try to ensure that this is done.
Mr Siew Kum Hong: Sir, the Minister has mentioned that the process on drafting the terms of reference for the ASEAN human rights body will proceed. I would just like to ask the Minister how will this process incorporate the views of Singaporeans and Singapore's civil society, given that the ASEAN Charter aims to create a people-centred ASEAN?
Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: We already had civil society groups that had given views to ASEAN on the ASEAN Charter and the proposed human rights body. The way to do this is through the ASEAN Secretariat. The think-tank - the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies - has also done so. There is also a working group on ASEAN human rights mechanism co-chaired by Mr Marzuki Darusman and Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn.
Monday, 26 November 2007
Public Forum: Human rights - the Asean Charter and beyond
This is a page with videos of MARUAH's public forum last Saturday, courtesy of WatchTowerHR.
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Public Forum: Human rights – the Asean Charter and beyond
I have been pretty busy the past 2 weeks. Firstly, I was in the US on business last week, and so I missed Parliament. It was 20 hours there and back in economy, for 72 hours or so of work -- very tiring.
Secondly, I am involved with a group called MARUAH (Singapore Working Committee for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism), or MARUAH for short. MARUAH is Malay for "Dignity", and we are the Singapore focal point for the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, a regional group based in Manila. MARUAH is presently led by Braema Mathi, a former NMP and civil society activist. A short summary on our creation can be found here.
As the name (or rather, the sub-tag) might suggest, our mission statement is to inform and facilitate, from a Singaporean perspective, the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body. The ASEAN Charter provides for the creation of such an entity, but is silent on the details including its terms of reference. That presents both a challenge, and an opportunity. We hope to play a useful part in that process.
The Straits Times ran an article on our group on 3 October 2007. The website should be going up soon. In the meantime, our first public event will be a forum this coming Saturday 24 November 2007. I am slated to be one of three speakers. All are welcome, including media. The details are below.
__________
Date: Saturday, 24 November 2007
Time: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Venue: Singapore Council of Women's Organisations, 96 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187967
On 20th November 2007, the heads of state and heads of government of Asean countries are scheduled to sign the Asean Charter, which would hereafter be the constitution of the regional grouping. Notably, the Charter includes a reference to setting up a human rights body.
What provisions does the Charter contain? How will it affect us? Will it advance human rights in Singapore and our neighbours? What new avenues does it open for the particular issues that you are interested in? What else needs to be done to benefit from this new start?
Speakers:
Braema Mathi - The road to here: How ASEAN got to signing the ASEAN Charter.
Braema Mathi is the coordinator for MARUAH and a well-known civil society activist in her own right
Siew Kum Hong - A brief introduction to MARUAH: Aims and Strategies and a brief outline of the ASEAN Charter and what it contains with regard to human rights
Siew Kum Hong is a lawyer by profession and a Nominated Member of Parliament.
Peter Low - A bird's eye view of other regions/groupings' human rights mechanisms. Would they be appropriate models for ASEAN?
Peter Low is a lawyer with his own practice. He was formerly President of the Law Society.
Following the presentations will be a time for Q & As.
MARUAH recognises that most people approach the question of human rights from the perspective of the particular issues they are involved in, be they women's issues, migrant workers, the disabled, parolees, etc. Participants are welcome to raise these issues during the dialogue so that a more inclusive conception of 'human rights' can be developed.
The development of human rights protection in ASEAN is expected to be a long process, and this public consultation exercise by MARUAH is intended to be the first of many.
Secondly, I am involved with a group called MARUAH (Singapore Working Committee for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism), or MARUAH for short. MARUAH is Malay for "Dignity", and we are the Singapore focal point for the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, a regional group based in Manila. MARUAH is presently led by Braema Mathi, a former NMP and civil society activist. A short summary on our creation can be found here.
As the name (or rather, the sub-tag) might suggest, our mission statement is to inform and facilitate, from a Singaporean perspective, the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body. The ASEAN Charter provides for the creation of such an entity, but is silent on the details including its terms of reference. That presents both a challenge, and an opportunity. We hope to play a useful part in that process.
The Straits Times ran an article on our group on 3 October 2007. The website should be going up soon. In the meantime, our first public event will be a forum this coming Saturday 24 November 2007. I am slated to be one of three speakers. All are welcome, including media. The details are below.
__________
MARUAH
Singapore Working Committee for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
Human Rights – the ASEAN Charter and beyond
A public consultation organised by Maruah
Date: Saturday, 24 November 2007
Time: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Venue: Singapore Council of Women's Organisations, 96 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187967
On 20th November 2007, the heads of state and heads of government of Asean countries are scheduled to sign the Asean Charter, which would hereafter be the constitution of the regional grouping. Notably, the Charter includes a reference to setting up a human rights body.
What provisions does the Charter contain? How will it affect us? Will it advance human rights in Singapore and our neighbours? What new avenues does it open for the particular issues that you are interested in? What else needs to be done to benefit from this new start?
Speakers:
Braema Mathi - The road to here: How ASEAN got to signing the ASEAN Charter.
Braema Mathi is the coordinator for MARUAH and a well-known civil society activist in her own right
Siew Kum Hong - A brief introduction to MARUAH: Aims and Strategies and a brief outline of the ASEAN Charter and what it contains with regard to human rights
Siew Kum Hong is a lawyer by profession and a Nominated Member of Parliament.
Peter Low - A bird's eye view of other regions/groupings' human rights mechanisms. Would they be appropriate models for ASEAN?
Peter Low is a lawyer with his own practice. He was formerly President of the Law Society.
__________
Following the presentations will be a time for Q & As.
MARUAH recognises that most people approach the question of human rights from the perspective of the particular issues they are involved in, be they women's issues, migrant workers, the disabled, parolees, etc. Participants are welcome to raise these issues during the dialogue so that a more inclusive conception of 'human rights' can be developed.
The development of human rights protection in ASEAN is expected to be a long process, and this public consultation exercise by MARUAH is intended to be the first of many.
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