Abstract
Asia and the Pacific is the only region in the world without a region-wide intergovernmental human rights system to promote and protect human rights. However, there exists a few subregional human rights regimes; the most established subregional human rights system in the region is found in Southeast Asia. Since 2009, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has established two ASEAN intergovernmental commissions on human rights – the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC). ASEAN has also adopted various non-binding human rights and human rights-related documents especially the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. However, after almost a decade of existence, the ASEAN Human Rights Commissions have been facing criticisms and challenges. They have been constrained both by structural design, a limited protection mandate and functions, and by the prevailing perceptions of human rights of the ASEAN Member States. Even though the future may not be bright for better protection of human rights, some opportunities are there as ASEAN is more engaged with the international community. The ASEAN Vision 2025 which has committed to build an ASEAN that is people-oriented and people-centered may contribute to consolidating and strengthening the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanisms.
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Petcharamesree, S. (2018). ASEAN Human Rights Mechanisms. In: Oberleitner, G. (eds) International Human Rights Institutions, Tribunals, and Courts. International Human Rights. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5206-4_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5206-4_20
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