ASEAN Human Rights Declaration: Cambodian Women Perspectives on Women Rights, and Civil Society View on the Drafting Process

Recently, on the 6^th July, 2012,  Cambodian Women Caucus (CWC) and the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)  co-hosted a press conference at Imperial Garden Hotel. The Press Conference brought together members of the press that civil society organizations involved in protecting and promoting women’s rights and human rights in Cambodia are working together to organize a Press Conference on our view on the ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights (ADHR). 

This collaborative campaign hoped to highlight key messages of CWC as well as those of the CSO in Cambodia in close collaboration with the Regional Women Caucus on the drafting process of the AHRD. The joint press conference aimed at distributing information on the process of AHRD as well as publicize CWC's  recommendation and Civil Society Organization (CSO) inputs to the draft AHRD , publicized the on draft AHRD in attempts to inform and  seek support from all stakeholders for the key points and issued raised by  CSO during the  drafting process of the AHRD. 

In 2012, the Kingdom of Cambodia assumes the rotating chairmanship and will host the ASEAN summit. The theme for 2012 as chosen by Cambodia leadership is One Community, One Destiny as ASEAN community is committed to make possible and adopt the ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights (ADHR) by 2012. This is an opportunity for Cambodian women to work together to show efforts exerted by women in every organization to promote and protect women’s rights and promote non-discrimination against women in ADHR as well as to create synergy to demand for respect for women’s rights in the region and in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

ASEAN Charter has a mandate to develop an ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights (ADHR)for the region. ASEAN has commissioned the Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission, AICHR, to draft ADHR targeted to be ready for the 21^st ASEAN Summit in November 2012 to approve. So far, the process of drafting the document has been less than transparent. Cambodia has organized a consultation with civil society on 3 July 2012 at the National Education Institute, without sharing a draft version of the declaration.

ADHR is a political declaration of ASEAN and is supposed to be foundation and aspiration for other binding documents for ASEAN in the protection of human rights of the 600 million people in the country.

Facilitator and speaker, Mrs. Thida Khus, SILAKA Executive Director and Cambodian Focal Point for CWC, with fellow organizers, Mr. Sou Bunsak Secretariat of CHRAC. Guest speakers on the panel of advocates and practionors included Mrs. Tep Vanny, Activist from Boeung Kak Lake, Ms. Pen Sopheak Migrant Domestic workers, Ms. Sok Phalla a woman garment worker, Ms. Prok Vanny Chair BOD of Star Kampuchea, Advisory Committee Member of the 2012 APF, Cambodian Women Caucus Representative, Mr. Nay Vanda,  ADHOC Project Officer, and Mr. Ya Navuth,Director of CARAM Cambodia.  Among items on the agenda included the controversial usage of wordings in AHRD like “public morality” and the creation of regional human right judicial system. Specifically, the press conference intended to disseminate civil society’s voice in AHRD and raise public awareness about its process. 

Press Conference showcased the CWC Statement on AHRD which was finalized and endorsed by members of the Cambodian Women’s Caucus following the First Cambodian Women’s Forum held in Lucky Star this past March 2012. The collaborative effort  showcased announced the joint statement by over 60 Civil  Society Organizations called for increased transparency during the drafting process and the inclusion of CSO in consultations as well as the technical and expert assistance and greater involvement of oversight by the international agencies such the United Nations.

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