Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Seventh ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Meeting held in Bali starting from November 28, concluded on Thursday, the ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement here Friday.

The Meeting which was the fourth and the last meeting of AICHR in 2011, was chaired by Representative of Indonesia to AICHR Rafendi Djamin.

The Meeting discussed and finalized the AICHR Work Plan (2013-2015) as well as the AICHR`s Priority Programme 2012 and its budget, and adopted the budget for the thematic study on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Rights, the draft Terms of Reference (TOR) on the thematic study of Right to Peace and approved in principle the concept paper on the two training programmes on human rights.

It also agreed to extend the mandate of the Drafting Group by arranging an additional meeting in January 2012.

During the course of the AICHR Meeting, AICHR Representatives also had an interface dialogue with Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Surin highlighted the importance of AICHR, as an overarching human rights institution in ASEAN. He added that recognition and legitimacy is to be gained further by providing leadership, guidance and working together with the relevant stakeholders.

In relation to AICHR?s engagement with external parties, the meeting met with UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. The meeting took note of UNICEF?s presentation concerning the Draft ASEAN ? UNICEF Framework of Cooperation and preliminarily explored possible elements of cooperation between AICHR and UNICEF. The Framework of Cooperation, which is a rights-based approach, is going to be further studied by AICHR.

The Eight ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights Meeting will be held on March 6-10, 2012 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
(Tz.F001/HAJM/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011