The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened its first meeting from March 28 to April 1 at the ASEAN Secretariat in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, a press statement said here on Thursday.
During the meeting, representatives had extensive discussions among themselves and with other relevant ASEAN bodies on how to ensure its effective operations as the overarching human rights institution in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The meeting discussed, among others, the formulation of the rules of procedure which will lay down the operational guidelines for the conduct of AICHR's work in all aspects. It also discussed the development of the five-year work plan to provide a comprehensive roadmap of programmes and activities to be undertaken by AICHR in the next five years. It is expected that the rules of procedure and the 5-year plan will be completed in time to be submitted to the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in July 2010 for adoption.
The AICHR representatives also had fruitful consultations with the relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies, including the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), the Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) and the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW). Of notable importance was the agreement reached among AICHR and SOMSWD and ACW on the necessary steps to ensure the proper alignment of the would-be ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) with AICHR.
The Second Meeting of AICHR will be held from June 28 to July 2 in Vietnam. The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. — Xinhua
