The initial workshop for the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism was assembled in Jakarta from 5th to 6th July 2001. It was co-hosted and organized by the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group), the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (also known as KOMNAS HAM) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.
The main objective of ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group) is to institute intergovernmental human rights commission. Therefore, AICHR (ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights) was inaugurated in the ASEAN Summit of 2009, organized in Thailand. The ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group) is an alliance of nationwide functioning groups from ASEAN states, which consists of legislatures from the NGOs, parliamentary human rights committees, government institutions, and the academy.
The most important mechanism recommended by the Working Group for the Human Rights are –
- A court which could provide necessary decisions.
- A declaration of principles.
- A commission with promotional, recommendatory and monitoring functions.
Many kind of human rights violation takes place in the Southeast Asia and the regional mechanism is useful for solving such type of violations.
According to the mechanism –
- ASEAN member should stick to all international human rights standard.
- Two different socio-politically ASEAN member states, can coherent their human rights related issues or concern.
- The region can jointly show its stand on human rights problems and can assist to address violations.
Activities of ASEAN human rights commission –
- In 1993, Singapore, ASEAN coherent the needs for an intergovernmental human right body.
- In 1995, Manila, the Human Rights Committee of LAWASIA created the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group) for the creation of the intergovernmental human right body.
- In 1998, Manila, ASEAN Foreign Ministers acknowledged the Working Group and noticed the important issues about the human rights mechanism between two parties.
- In 2000, Bangkok, a Draft Agreement for the establishment of the ASEAN Human Rights Commission was submitted to the ASEAN senior officials by the Working Group.
- In 2001, Jakarta, the first Workshop for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism was organized.
- In 2004, Vientiane, VAP or Vientiane Action Program which listed the human rights action points with a 2010 deadline was approved by ASEAN.
- In 2005, Vientiane, ASEAN asked for a support of the Working Group to implement the human rights provisions listed in VAP. The Working Group started organizing RTDs, meetings and the workshops on the problems of human rights like women rights, children rights or educational rights.
- In 2006, Manila, EPG submitted its report in the ASEAN Summit.
- In 2007, Cebu, ASEAN approved the Cebu declaration on the Blueprint of the ASEAN Charter.
- In 2007, Bali, ASEAN NHRIs (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines) signed a Declaration of Cooperation, which included a provision that could be taken in instituting the ASEAN human rights mechanism.
- In 2008, Jakarta, ten ASEAN Member-States approved the ASEAN Charter.
- In 2009, Phuket, the Foreign Ministers approved and adopted the ToR (Terms of Reference) for the institution of AICHR.
- In 2009, Cha-am Hua Hin, AICHR was launched and approved during the ASEAN Summit.
