“Civil Society’s Write-Workshop for the Submission on the AICHR’s Guideline on Stakeholders’ Engagement”

Taking the momentum of the 10^th Meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission of Human Rights (AICHR) on September 21-24, 2012 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, representatives of civil society organizations coming from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, gathered together in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 18-19 September 2012 to come up with the submission on the AICHR’s Guideline for Engagement with Civil Society Groups. 

The Southeast Asian Civil Society Submission to the AICHR Guidelines for Engagement with Civil Society Groups consist of eleven sections; the introduction, principles of engagement, the purpose of the guideline, definition of civil society groups, the conduct of engagement, areas of engagement, criteria of civil society groups, mutual code of conduct, registration of civil society groups with AICHR, termination of registered status with AICHR, and the responsibilities of the registered civil society groups. Moreover, some CSOs also propose that AICHR should realize that their work would be meaningless and irrelevant without the supports and engagement of all sectors, including civil society organizations. Meaningful and constructive participation shall be considered as essential to the human rights framework that promotes good governance, democracy and peace in ASEAN. Plus, AICHR should realize that their work would be meaningless and irrelevant without the supports and engagement of all sectors, including civil society organizations. Meaningful and constructive participation shall be considered as essential to the human rights framework that promotes good governance, democracy and peace in ASEAN. The Southeast Asian CSOs have sent their Submission to the H.E. Om Yen Tieng, AICHR Chair, on September 20, 2012. 

This meeting ran smoothly, and it is a good opportunity for the CSOs from all the country in the ASEAN region came and discuss with each other on the Guideline for Engagement with Civil Society Groups as a way to ensure that civil society involvement will be the practice of working of the AICHR. In addition to that the existence of an active civil society is an important element of a people-centered ASEAN. Recognizing and engaging civil society is and must be an essential pre-condition for democratically legitimate decision-making process of AICHR, which aims at ensuring the guarantee for the respect, promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights and freedoms for all people in ASEAN, and that the voice of the people is heard. 

Attachments Availble:

Concept Note
Agenda

Training on ASEAN and Women Right Sensitization

 On 6th-7th September, 2012 there is a training course entitled ‘Training on ASEAN and Women Rights Sensitization’ at SILAKA, which participated from SILAKA staffs, CYWA volunteers and women from NGOs at nine provinces, and  this workshop was held for two days. The first day there has a nice greeting from Director of SILAKA Ms. Thida Khus and Ms. Wenny from UN women. She asked and told all trainees about main points on ASEAN. The opening session of the training course consisted of self-introduction, setting rule for the training, participant’s expectation, goal and objective of the training. This session was facilitated by Mrs. Sovanny. On the first day, the topic being a long introduction about ASEAN and principle of CEDAW. In the morning, studying about ASEAN was facilitated by Ms. Seap Sinet, who is come from YRDP.  The trainees can learn more about the history of ASEAN and human rights. First, the goal of the training is to build capacity of women activist on ASEAN, and learn more about ASEAN especially it wants to show us about women rights. Moreover, this training wants to train us to be the best women of ASEAN and to know the process of situation on ASEAN integration in 2015. Then it has the following objectives such as create more knowledge of structure’s tool and the process on ASEAN through CEDAW,  make present women’s issues and decision of ASEAN, to know about principle of CEDAW and  to definite of national level structures to fight bravely opinion on women rights in ASEA, and especially on Human Right Declaration. Next, in the afternoon, Mrs. Aum Borany presented about principle of CEDAW such as review the meaning of gender and gender equality. Moreover, the second day, Mrs. Aum Borany gave a brief introduction of gender, and she gave more detail about equality gender and obligation of governments. Afterthat, she let the trainees to join in groups and then presented about particular topics by following process given that related to ASEAN and Women Rights. Then on the last day, trainees learnt about Action Plan of making forum which included about checking purpose and result of provincial level forum, checking on agenda, making plan for practice and budget plan. This plan is participate by 5 provinces such as Banteay Meanchey, Prey Veng, Kratie, Kampong Cham and Battambong. Finally, at the end of the training, we have an evaluation about what we learn for 2days. All the trainees know more about ASEAN, preparation for ASEAN Integration 2015, and the meaning of CEDAW. 

 In addition, the trainees from NGOs at the nine provinces can get new strategies to give more information about what they have learnt from the course to promote people in their provinces. For CYWA Volunteers, they also get more understanding on ASEAN and Women Rights, so they can give their information about what they have learnt from the training to promote other people especially women in society. In that time we also take photo together before closing.

Traning on Public Speaking and Advocacy Media Press

On Saturday and Sunday the 21-22 CYWA volunteer participated in an introductory course entitled ‘’ Public Speaking and Advocacy ‘’ Training Course on Public Speaking and Advocacy’s goal is to build capacity of young women activist for ASEAN in Public Speaking  and advocacy, training them to be the best speaker of ASEAN and to know the process of doing statement on ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and training them to have skill in advocacy for the promotion and protection of human rights. This Training Course was held on July 21-22, 2012 at SILAKA Training Facilities in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

This Training Course has the following objectives:

1.       Understanding  ASEAN and its advantages;

2.       Overview of Important characteristic the public speaker

3.       Introduction to tips for effective public speaker

4.       Advocacy through media and its method and analysis its impacts;

5.       Understanding the practical applications of advocacy on media.

The workshop was held over two days with the first day’s topic being a short introduction to ASEAN and ASEAN Human Right Declaration, Public Speaking and Advocacy. This part was facilitated by Mrs. Aum Borany and Keuth Samuth, SILAKA Training Team. Trainees were guided to what ASEAN is; its meanings for Cambodia and its people; things that Cambodian women should do to cope with ASEAN integration; last but not least, what activities have Civil Societies have done so far in contribution to ASEAN Human Right Declaration.

Mr. Kueth Samuth’s presentation introduced the participants to  11 main points ranging from: an introduction to public speaking, the ethics of public speaking, speaking confidently, responding to speeches, supporting your speech, outlining your speech, wording your speech, delivering your speech, using presentational aids, the strategy of persuasion, and the structure of persuasion. 

The following day, Samuth gave a brief introduction to advocacy, and he showed about advocacy process.Also, he let trainees to join in groups and gave presentation on particular topics by following process given.

On the last day, trainees learnt about Action Plan and Advocacy, Advocacy through media, and Applied media. The opening session of the training course consisted of self-introduction, setting rule for the training, participants’ expectation, and goal and objective of the training. This session was facilitated by Ms. Vary Khus, SILAKA Admin Supervisor and CYWA Volunteer Coordinator.

Meet CYWA Volunteer: Sotha Pisey

Who: 

Sotha Pisey, Student/Volunteer

How She Learned about Us:

I know SILAKA by my friend who is a volunteer in here.

Why Volunteering with Us Appealed to Her:

I want to get some experience of working and I want to involve with the society. Moreover I want to learn new things especially about ASEAN.  

Interests:

I like listening to music, watch TV and play Facebook.