STATEMENT ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS
DECLARATION
21
November 2012
ASEAN
Heads of State and Government
c/o
ASEAN Secretariat
The
current version of the Declaration falls short of its vision and mission as the
overarching instrument to “establish a framework for human rights cooperation in
the region and contribute to the ASEAN community building process”, due to its
restrictive content and the process by which it was created.
• Procedurally,
o the
expediency in adoption, lack of transparency, and meaningful civil society
participation has substantively limited the vision and scope of the Declaration
as an overarching standard setting instrument for all stakeholders in the
region.
•
Substantively,
o
the
overall approach adopted by the Declaration, provides ASEAN member states an
expedient to continue the denial and violations of rights under the protective
shroud of culture and traditions of the region which are patriarchal and
anachronistic standards that will continue to negatively impact women’s human
rights in ASEAN. This is clearly embodied in the numerous articles of the
general principles which places limitations rather than to promote and protect
the full recognition and enjoyment of human rights by all in ASEAN;
o
the
Declaration, despite affirming its commitment to uphold international human
rights principles and standards has allowed for limitations such as “balancing
rights” with regional and national contexts and laws. This in the current
political context of ASEAN, as well as the weak institutional climate for
promotion and protection of human rights nationally, allows the member states to
interpret the provisions in ways which may undermine their international
commitments;
o
continuing
to limit the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms to meet the
principle of “just
requirements”, including on the basis of “public morality”[2],
further demonstrates the lack of true commitment by the ASEAN member states to
the duty to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of the peoples of
ASEAN. The Declaration fails to provide the measures and mechanisms to ensure
appropriate checks and balances to interpret “just requirements” at the national
level. Further, historically the notion of public morality has been used to deny
and violate women’s human rights to sexual autonomy and bodily integrity.
It
should be noted that all Member States of ASEAN are parties to the
Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), as well as the
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and is thereby obligated to ensure
the recognition and promotion of women’s and children’s human rights and
continue to uphold the principles of universality, non-discrimination and
substantive equality of all peoples of ASEAN.
We, as
a women’s human rights group, together with other stakeholders, will continue to
monitor and demand for the full accountability of the ASEAN member states in
fulfilling its obligations to the peoples of ASEAN without in any way
undermining its obligations under international human rights laws. We want the
guarantee of a regional Declaration which will withstand national,
regional and international scrutiny in upholding universal principles of human
rights.
Yours
sincerely,
Audrey Lee
Officer in
Charge
International Women's
Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
10-2, Jalan Bangsar Utama 9
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: (603) 2282 2255
Fax: (603) 2283 2552
Email: iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org / iwraw_ap@yahoo.com / iwrawap1993@gmail.com
10-2, Jalan Bangsar Utama 9
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: (603) 2282 2255
Fax: (603) 2283 2552
Email: iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org / iwraw_ap@yahoo.com / iwrawap1993@gmail.com
Website: http://www.iwraw-ap.org
[1] IWRAW Asia Pacific is an
NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic Social Council of the
United Nations and has national partners in all 11 Southeast Asia countries. It
facilitates and monitors the Implementation of the United Nations Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), an
international treaty ratified by all member states of ASEAN. In collaboration
with APWLD, it initiated the formation of the Southeast Asia Women’s Caucus on
ASEAN, with a membership of over 50 women’s groups in the region.
[2]
The statement of the Southeast Asia Women’s Caucus on ASEAN on the
issue of public morality is fully supported by IWRAW Asia
Pacific.
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