READI HRF

28/07/2016

AICHR Researchers' Meeting for the Study on Legal Aids in ASEAN

26 July 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Beneficiary: AICHR

Legal aid is considered both a right and an essential element for the exercise and enjoyment of a number of human rights, including the rights to a fair trial and to an effective remedy. Poor, vulnerable, and marginalised persons often face the risk of arbitrary, extended, or illegal pre-trial detention, as well as torture, coerced confessions, wrongful convictions, social stigma, detrimental impacts on health and livelihood and other abuses due to their of lack of access to justice and effective legal representation. In fact, there were several cases that legal aid and early assistance schemes have reduced excessive and arbitrary pre-trial detention, improve the administration of justice, and increase public trust in justice.

In ASEAN Member States, there are a number of legal aid programs and providers that have tried to address the lack of access to legal representation especially by the poor and marginalized groups. To understand the context as well as share experiences, best practices and lessons learns on legal aid provision in each AMS, a thematic study will be undertaken by the AICHR. To achieve this objective, there will be a series of activities ranging from the conduct of baseline study, national and regional consultations, report writing, and a validation workshop that will help in the development of this thematic study on legal aid in AMS.

28/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on the Progress Report on Women's Advancement and Gender Equality

28 June 2016

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

After several decades of promoting the advancement of women and working towards gender equality, there is a need to synthesize in a holistic way the progress made by all the ASEAN Member States, in order to celebrate the gains as well as identify the gaps in addressing these goals.

This sub-project aims to document the progress and milestones made by ASEAN Member States in promoting and implementing women’s human rights and gender equality in the region. Using the CEDAW framework as the bases for the review, the project will be utilizing the most recent statistical data and country studies on the situation of women in the ten ASEAN countries; the gains achieved by members in promoting and implementing the rights of women and challenges that the Member States face in their continuing efforts to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women. The project will be led by the Philippines as the main proponent assisted by a team of researchers closely working with an advisory group from ACWC members.

The report will be helpful for the ACWC as a baseline study to assist the Commission in identifying urgent issues as well as the gaps in the implementation of programmes for women in the region. This will be ACWC’s contribution to the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

28/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on Institutional Strengthening

28 June 2016

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

Strengthening institutional capacity is recognised as one of the important elements to delivering and sustaining the effectiveness and relevance of any organization or institution. However, strengthening institutional capacity is more than a complementary component of interventions to improve the performance of any organization. It is an integral part of a strategy for sustainable and integrated development. Its focus is on developing an effective organization within all actors work together to establish an enabling environment to achieve its goals and objectives. However, without appropriately determining the actual needs and challenges of an organization in the performance of its roles and mandates then any strategic support by that organization will be rendered ineffective and inefficient.

Therefore, this activity will involve a comprehensive review of the ACWC’s current strengths, processes and policies including an analysis of gaps and needs to meet its important mandates as the regional body focusing on the rights and welfare of women and children. The institutional assessment of the ACWC will be a key starting point in planning, strategizing and operationalizing the goals and work plan of the ACWC. This is followed by the development of a strategic institutional capacity plan that will ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the ACWC Five Year Work Plan (2012-2016).

The Philippines, as the proponent country, will be implementing this activity. To assist the proponent country on this task, a senior short-term expert will be contracted to conduct the institutional assessment and development of the ACWC’s strategic institutional plan for five years.

28/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on ASEAN Integrative Child Protection System

27 June 2016

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

All ASEAN Member States (AMS) have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). However, ASEAN has yet to develop its own standard performance on child protection systems that can be applied to existing ASEAN and national mechanisms. In most inter-regional cases, there are difficulties and challenges to protect children as AMS have different policies and mechanisms in the treatment of child victims. In addition, most AMS have very limited integrative standard on child protection system and mostly are issue-based such as child trafficking, children in conflict with the law, discrimination against education, sexual exploitation and violence against children among other issues.

To address this issue, there is a need to assess the existing standard performance on child protection systems (CPS) in ASEAN Member States (AMS) through a baseline study in order to come up with a standard performance for an Integrative Child Protection System in ASEAN. The baseline study will help guide the development of a standard performance on integrative child protection system, which will be recommended to AMS for consideration into their national policy and programs and standard operational procedures on handling children issues.

To achieve this objective, there will be a series of activities ranging from the conduct of baseline study, creation of a task force, national and regional consultations, report writing, and validation workshops that will be implemented by the ACWC. The conduct of the baseline study has already started in 2014 and will be continued in the 2015 cycle, with Indonesia as the proponent country.

The final drafts of the baseline study and standard performance on integrative child protection system will be submitted to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) and other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.

26/07/2016

ACWC Second Regional Dialogue on Setting Performance Standard on ASEAN Integrative Child Protection

8-9 June 2016

Jakarta, Indonesia

Beneficiary: ACWC

All ASEAN Member States (AMS) have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). However, ASEAN has yet to develop its own standard performance on child protection systems that can be applied to existing ASEAN and national mechanisms. In most inter-regional cases, there are difficulties and challenges to protect children as AMS have different policies and mechanisms in the treatment of child victims. In addition, most AMS have very limited integrative standard on child protection system and mostly are issue-based such as child trafficking, children in conflict with the law, discrimination against education, sexual exploitation and violence against children among other issues.

To address this issue, there is a need to assess the existing standard performance on child protection systems (CPS) in ASEAN Member States (AMS) through a baseline study in order to come up with a standard performance for an Integrative Child Protection System in ASEAN. The baseline study will help guide the development of a standard performance on integrative child protection system, which will be recommended to AMS for consideration into their national policy and programs and standard operational procedures on handling children issues.

To achieve this objective, there will be a series of activities ranging from the conduct of baseline study, creation of a task force, national and regional consultations, report writing, and validation workshops that will be implemented by the ACWC. The conduct of the baseline study has already started in 2014 and will be continued in the 2015 cycle, with Indonesia as the proponent country.

The final drafts of the baseline study and standard performance on integrative child protection system will be submitted to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) and other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.

26/07/2016

ASEAN Workshop on Improving Border Controls and Strengthening the Capacities of Law Enforcement Authorities to Address Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons

30 May-1 June 2016

Muntinlupa City, The Philippines

Beneficiary: ACMW

As the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOM-TC) is currently responsible to oversee the anti-trafficking initiatives in ASEAN, it is recommended that the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of the Migrant Workers (ACMW) not duplicate the SOM-TC’s efforts with separate initiatives to address the same issues. This is particularly so when there is a separate ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime, ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime, and Work Programme to Implement the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime, all of which are driven by the SOM-TC. Nonetheless, the ACMW should work closely with the SOM-TC to coordinate and complement each other’s work as far as possible. Hence, it is proposed that the ACMW consider possibilities for joint activities, which the ACMW could recommend to SOM-TC.

As part of its Five Year Work Plan, the Regional Seminar will provide the venue for ACMW and SOM-TC to discuss, exchange and work together on how to improve border controls in AMS. Furthermore, this activity aims to share experiences and practices with a view to enhancing the capacity and understanding of immigration agencies on the linkages between irregular migration and trafficking (ACMW).

For the ASEAN coverage of this workshop, click: asean.org/asean-improves-border-controls-to-address-irregular-migration-and-trafficking-in-persons/.

June 2, 2016 - MUNTINLUPA CITY, 2 June 2016 – The ASEAN Workshop on Improving Border Controls and Strengthening the Capacity of Law Enforcement Authorities to Address Irr

26/07/2016

AICHR Regional Forum on the Role of Media in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in ASEAN

16-17 May 2016

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Beneficiary: AICHR

Media plays an increasingly important role that could support and strengthen the promotion of human rights through reporting of news and dissemination of information. Media can also be used as an avenue for dialogue and public discourse on human rights issues and has greater role to influence public policy and opinion in favour of intensifying the promotion of human rights. In contrast, the media may also create or perpetuate stereotypes and can be seen as a witness and promoting hatred and violence that may have severe impacts on human rights. Besides, lack of knowledge on human rights issues and the inability to contextualize news on human rights may cause further rights abuses such as loss of dignity, disrespect and abuse of privacy and insensitivity of victims.

In the context of ASEAN, human rights issues are considerably underreported. Even if they are reported, reporting is essentially reactive to violations of rights during and after conflicts/incidences and revolves around civil and political and less on economic, social and cultural rights. In short, the media has not done enough to report and explain human rights issues. They are also seen as bias and selective in their reporting which leads to misrepresentation and marginalization of human rights issues in the region. There are challenges facing media agencies in ASEAN in relation to reporting and producing news and information that are related to human rights. Among them, human rights issues are considered taboo; human rights as a heavy subject as it often involves legal implications and political philosophy; human rights issues have no 'news value' or are 'non-newsworthy'. Additionally, the changing landscape in media’s industry particularly on the rise of new media such as online portal imposes a new set of challenges in relation to professionalism, ethics and style of reporting that could have impacts on human rights.

The AICHR Five-Year Work Plan (2010-2015) has specifically assigned AICHR to develop common media programmes on human rights in close consultation and cooperation with ASEAN Sectoral Bodies particularly the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) and Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information (SOMRI). The convening of this workshop would serve as a pioneering step to spearhead closer cooperation and partnership with the media as well as relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies including AMRI and SOMRI, in line with the Work Plan.

For the AICHR press release on this workshop, click: http://aichr.org/press-release/press-release-aichr-regional-forum-on-media-and-human-rights-in-asean-16-17-may-2016-kuala-lumpur-malaysia/.

26/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on Institutional Strengthening

2-3 April 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

Strengthening institutional capacity is recognised as one of the important elements to delivering and sustaining the effectiveness and relevance of any organisation or institution. However, strengthening institutional capacity is more than a complementary component of interventions to improve the performance of any organization. It is an integral part of a strategy for sustainable and integrated development. Its focus is on developing an effective organization within all actors work together to establish an enabling environment to achieve its goals and objectives. However, without appropriately determining the actual needs and challenges of an organization in the performance of its roles and mandates then any strategic support by that organization will be rendered ineffective and inefficient.

Therefore, this activity involved a comprehensive review of ACWC’s current strengths, processes and policies, including an analysis of gaps and needs to meet its important mandates as the regional body focusing on the rights and welfare of women and children. The institutional assessment of ACWC will be a key starting point in planning, strategizing and operationalizing the goals and work plan of ACWC. This is followed by the development of a strategic institutional capacity plan that will ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the ACWC Five-Year Work Plan (2012-2016).

The Philippines, as the proponent country of ACWC, will be implementing this activity. To assist the proponent country on this task, a senior short-term expert will be contracted to conduct the institutional assessment and development of ACWC’s strategic institutional plan for five years.

26/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on the Progress Report on Women's Enhancement and Gender Equality

1 April 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

After several decades of promoting the advancement of women and working towards gender equality, there is a need to synthesize in a holistic way the progress made by all the ASEAN Member States, in order to celebrate the gains as well as identify the gaps in addressing these goals.

This sub-project aims to document the progress and milestones made by ASEAN Member States in promoting and implementing women’s human rights and gender equality in the region. Using the CEDAW framework as the bases for the review, the project will be utilizing the most recent statistical data and country studies on the situation of women in the ten ASEAN countries; the gains achieved by members in promoting and implementing the rights of women and challenges that the Member States face in their continuing efforts to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women. The project will be led by the Philippines as the main proponent assisted by a team of researchers closely working with an advisory group from ACWC members.

The report will be helpful for the ACWC as a baseline study to assist the Commission in identifying urgent issues as well as the gaps in the implementation of programmes for women in the region. This will be ACWC’s contribution to the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

26/07/2016

ACWC Special Meeting on the Regional Review on Laws, Policies and Practices within ASEAN Relating to the Identification, Management, and Treatment of Victims of Trafficking, Especially Women and Children

31 March 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

Human trafficking is the criminal and illegal trading of human beings for the purpose of labour, sexual and other forms of exploitation. It is characterized by the movement or migration of an individual into a situation of exploitation or harm, which results in that individual losing control over his or her situation. The crime of trafficking can occur within a country or across national borders. It is very much a global phenomenon, contravening fundamental human rights, denying basic and broadly accepted individual freedoms to women, men and children all over the world.

Men, women and children in Asia are vulnerable to traffickers for many reasons, including poverty, lack of employment opportunities, inadequate or unenforced labour laws and regulations, poor education or gender inequality. Women and young people are particularly vulnerable, with school‐age girls and boys often forced into conditions of exploitative labor, domestic work or prostitution. Despite impressive gains by the ASEAN Governments to prevent and address human trafficking and exploitation over the past decade, serious gaps remain, particularly in terms of the review and implementation of effective and sustainable systems for the management, treatment and protection of women and child survivors and the timely and positive reintegration of survivors back to their families and communities.

To operationalize ACWC’s mandate to promote and protect the rights of women and children, it is necessary to review and analyse the current rescue, recovery, repatriation, rehabilitation, reintegration, referral system, and assistance of survivors of trafficking in women and children among ASEAN member countries of origin, transit, and destination. Lao PDR as the proponent country will implement this sub-project to address the challenges faced by trafficked women and children and the governments and supporting international organizations that are responsible for their management and treatment.

26/07/2016

ACWC Country Researchers' Meeting on the ASEAN Progress Report on Women's Advancement and Gender Equality

30-31 March 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Beneficiary: ACWC

After several decades of promoting the advancement of women and working towards gender equality, there is a need to synthesize in a holistic way the progress made by all the ASEAN Member States, in order to celebrate the gains as well as identify the gaps in addressing these goals.

This sub-project aims to document the progress and milestones made by ASEAN Member States in promoting and implementing women’s human rights and gender equality in the region. Using the CEDAW framework as the bases for the review, the project will be utilizing the most recent statistical data and country studies on the situation of women in the ten ASEAN countries; the gains achieved by members in promoting and implementing the rights of women and challenges that the Member States face in their continuing efforts to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women. The project will be led by the Philippines as the main proponent assisted by a team of researchers closely working with an advisory group from ACWC members.

The report will be helpful for the ACWC as a baseline study to assist the Commission in identifying urgent issues as well as the gaps in the implementation of programmes for women in the region. This will be ACWC’s contribution to the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

26/07/2016

ACWC Regional Dialogue on Setting Performance Standard on ASEAN Integrative Child Protection

21-22 March 2016

Tangerang, Indonesia

Beneficiary: ACWC

All ASEAN Member States (AMS) have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). However, ASEAN has yet to develop its own standard performance on child protection systems that can be applied to existing ASEAN and national mechanisms. In most inter-regional cases, there are difficulties and challenges to protect children as AMS have different policies and mechanisms in the treatment of child victims. In addition, most AMS have very limited integrative standard on child protection system and mostly are issue-based such as child trafficking, children in conflict with the law, discrimination against education, sexual exploitation and violence against children among other issues.

To address this issue, there is a need to assess the existing standard performance on child protection systems (CPS) in ASEAN Member States (AMS) through a baseline study in order to come up with a standard performance for an Integrative Child Protection System in ASEAN. The baseline study will help guide the development of a standard performance on integrative child protection system, which will be recommended to AMS for consideration into their national policy and programs and standard operational procedures on handling children issues.

To achieve this objective, there will be a series of activities ranging from the conduct of baseline study, creation of a task force, national and regional consultations, report writing, and validation workshops that will be implemented by the ACWC. The conduct of the baseline study has already started in 2014 and will be continued in the 2015 cycle, with Indonesia as the proponent country.

The final drafts of the baseline study and standard performance on integrative child protection system will be submitted to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) and other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.