z Association of Southeast

Nations (ASEAN)
Presented by:
Rukmani Khadka
Roshan Sunar
Sec: A
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INTRODUCTION
 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping
founded on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and
the Philippines to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural
development in the Southeast Asian region through multilateral cooperation.
 The grouping was formed when the foreign ministers  – Adam Malik of
Indonesia, Narciso Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia,
S. Rajaratnam of Singapore and Tun Thanat Khoman of Thailand – of the
five founding member states convened in the Department of Foreign Affairs
building in Bangkok to sign the ASEAN Declaration.
 It was formed during the polarized atmosphere of Cold War, and the alliance
aimed to promote stability in the region.
 Later Brunei Darussalam joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July
1995, Lao PDR and Myanmanr on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April
1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN
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The Context: 1960s

 Conflict:
 Indonesia-Malaysia (Konfrontasi 1962-66),
 Philippines-Malaysia (over Sabah)
 Singapore secession from Malaysia
 Mindanao, Southern Thailand
 Thailand was brokering reconciliation among Indonesia, the Philippines
and Malaysia
 Poor
 Communism
 Cold War, arms race, proxy wars
 Indochina War: Vietnam, Laos Cambodia
 Burma: 1962
 Club of dictators: Marcos, Suharto, Thanom, Lee Kwan Yew, Abdul
Rahman
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Member
states Of
ASEAN
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 It is an intergovernmental organization aimed primarily at promoting economic growth

and regional stability among its members.
 The ASEAN Charter is a constituent instrument of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) which was adopted at the 13th ASEAN Summit in November 2007,
provides a legal and institutional framework to support realization of ASEAN’s
objectives, including regional integration.
 It has ten dialogue partners: Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, New Zealand,
ROK, Russia and the United States along with UNDP.
 The ASEAN Plus Three (APT) cooperation process began in December 1997 with the
convening of an Informal Summit among the Leaders of ASEAN and China, Japan and
the ROK with aim to strengthen and deepen East Asia cooperation at various levels and
in various areas, particularly in economic and social, political and other fields.
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ASEAN Community

 The ASEAN Community is compromised of three pillars, namely the

ASEAN Political-Security Community, Economic Community and
Socio-Cultural Community which came into force on 15 December
2008.
 Each pillar has its own Blueprint, and, together with the Initiative for
ASEAN Integration (IAI) Strategic Framework and IAI Work Plan
Phase II (2009-2015), they form the Roadmap for and ASEAN
Community 2009-2015.
 They are closely interwind and mutually reinforcing for the purpose of
ensuring durable peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the region.
 ASEAN Community
SOCIO-
POLITICAL – ECONOMIC
CULTURAL
SECURITY Blueprint
•Single Market and Blueprint
Blueprint production base
•Human Development
•Rules based, shared
•Competitive economic •Social Welfare and
norms and values
• Cohesive, peaceful, region Protection
stable, resilient with •Equitable Economic •Social justice and
shared responsibility
development rights
•Dynamic and Outward
•Integration into global •Environmental
looking
economy Sustainability
•ASEAN Identity
ASEAN Charter - One Vision, One Identity, One Caring
and Sharing Community
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ASEAN’s Structure
 ASEAN Summit  Committee Permanent
 ASEAN Coordinating Representatives (CPR)
Council
 ASEAN
 ASEAN Community
Intergovernmental
Councils
Commission on Human
 ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Rights
Bodies
 ACWC
 Secretary General
 ACMW
 ASEAN Secretariat

 ASEAN National Secretariat

 Secretary General of ASEAN
 Appointed by the ASEAN Summit for a non-reneweable term of
office of the 5 years.
 Carry out the duties and responsibilities of the office in
accordance with the ASEAN charter.
 Facilitate and monitor progress in the implementation of ASEAN
agreements and decisions and submit an annual report.
 Participate in meetings of the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN
Community Councils, the ASEAN Coordinating Council and
ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and other relevant meetings
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AICHR
 The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was
inaugurated in October 2009 as a consultative body of the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
 It exists to promote and protect human rights which is directed by a body of
representatives, one per member state, each nominated by and answerable to their
government and serving a three-year term, renewable once.
 Human rights are referenced in Articles 1.7, 2.2.i and 14 of ASEAN Charter.
 ASEAN adopted the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) along with the
Phnom Penh Statement during the 21st ASEAN Summit in Cambodia on 18
November 2012.
 The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human rights and the high
representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
believes that the adoption of the AHRD represents an important step toward
strengthening the protection of human rights in Asia.
 z ACWC
 To promote the implementation of international instruments,
ASEAN instruments and other instruments related to the rights of
women and children.
 To develop policies, programs and innovative strategies to
promote and protect the rights of women and children to
complement the building of the ASEAN Community.
 To promote public awareness and education of the rights of
women and children in ASEAN.
 To advocate on behalf of women and children, especially the
most vulnerable and marginalized, and encourage ASEAN
Member States to improve their situation.
 To build capacities of relevant stakeholders at all levels, e.g.
administrative, legislative, judicial, civil society, community
leaders, women and children machineries, through the provision
of technical assistance, training and workshops, towards the
realization of the rights of women and children.
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 To assist, upon request by ASEAN Member States, in preparing for

CEDAW and CRC Periodic Reports, the Human Rights Council’s
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and reports for other Treaty
Bodies, with specific reference to the rights of women and children in
ASEAN.
 To assist, upon request by ASEAN Member States, in implementing
the Concluding Observations of CEDAW and CRC and other
Treaty Bodies related to the rights of women and children.
 To encourage ASEAN Member States on the collection and
analysis of disaggregated data by sex, age, etc., related to the
promotion and protection of the rights of women and children.
 To promote studies and research related to the situation and well-
being of women and children with the view to fostering effective
implementation of the rights of women and children in the region.
 To encourage ASEAN Member States to undertake periodic
reviews of national legislations, regulations, policies, and
practices related to the rights of women and children.
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Fundamental Principles

 Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity,

and national identity of all nations;

 The Right of every State to lead its national existence free from external
interference, subversion or coercion;

 Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;

 Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;

 Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and

 Effective cooperation among themselves .

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Objectives

TO ACCELERATE THE ECONOMIC TO PROMOTE REGIONAL PEACE TO PROMOTE ACTIVE

GROWTH, SOCIAL PROGRESS AND STABILITY THROUGH COLLABORATION AND MUTUAL
AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ABIDING RESPECT FOR JUSTICE ASSISTANCE ON MATTERS OF
IN THE REGION THROUGH JOINT AND THE RULE OF LAW IN THE COMMON INTEREST IN THE
ENDEAVORS IN THE SPIRIT OF RELATIONSHIP AMONG ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL,
EQUALITY AND PARTNERSHIP IN COUNTRIES OF THE REGION AND TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND
ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE ADHERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLES ADMINISTRATIVE FIELDS
FOUNDATION FOR A OF THE UNITED NATIONS
PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL CHARTER;
COMMUNITY OF SOUTHEAST
ASIAN NATIONS;
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TO AID EACH TO COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE TO MAINTAIN

MORE EFFECTIVELY
OTHER IN THE FOR THE GREATER
SOUTHEAST CLOSE AND
FORM OF UTILIZATION OF ASIAN STUDIES; BENEFICIAL
TRAINING AND THEIR AND COOPERATION
RESEARCH AGRICULTURE AND WITH EXISTING
INDUSTRIES, THE
FACILITIES IN EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL
THE THEIR TRADE, AND REGIONAL
EDUCATIONAL, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION
STUDY OF THE
PROFESSIONAL S WITH SIMILAR
PROBLEMS OF
TECHNICAL AND INTERNATIONAL AIMS AND
ADMINISTRATIV COMMODITY TRADE, PURPOSES,
E SPHERES; THE IMPROVEMENT EXPLORE ALL
OF THEIR
TRANSPORTATION
AVENUES FOR
AND EVEN CLOSER
COMMUNICATIONS COOPERATION
FACILITIES AND THE AMONG
RAISING OF THE
LIVING STANDARDS THEMSELVES.
OF THEIR PEOPLE;
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Effectiveness

 ASEAN is the fourth-largest exporting region in the world, trailing only

the European Union, North America, and China/Hong Kong.
 It is also party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
trade negotiations that would form a mega trading bloc comprising more
than three billion people, a combined GDP of about $21 trillion, and
some 30 percent of world trade.
 The Working Group started co-organizing Workshops on the ASEAN
Regional Human Rights and through these workshops, ASEAN had
been able to discuss human rights issues at a regional level and some
of the issues tackled included women, children and migrant workers’
rights, as well as human rights education. 
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Criticism

 ASEAN's reputation, when it comes to tackling human rights issues, is another major
challenge which has plagued the organization for decades.
 Myanmar's Rohingya refugee crisis has drawn attention to this subject in recent years.
 Despite global outrage triggered by numerous alleged human rights abuses, ASEAN
remains steadfast in its policy of non-interference and refuses to suspend Myanmar as
a member.
 The AICHR does not have a mandate to receive individual complaints or conduct
investigations, so it is still far behind Europe in terms of making a real difference for
the rights of Southeast Asian peoples.
 The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 was viewed as
the first step in addressing this, but it still lacks a common regulatory framework,
ultimately preventing ASEAN from becoming a major economic player.
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Thank You !!!!