𝐽𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑎, 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑎, 19-22 𝑀𝑎𝑦 2024 – the Deputy Ombudsman for Good Governance of Timor-Leste, along with Eduarda Peregrina, the Promotion Official of PDHJ, General Director of Politics and Justice Honório Aureliano Soares Magalhães, and Sodónio Jorge Martins, the National Director of Political and Security Affairs from the Ministry of Justice, participated as Observers at the 39th ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) meeting held at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Chairing the 39th AICHR meeting was Ambassador Yong Chanthalangsy, the Representative of Lao PDR to AICHR. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the importance of discussing ways to promote and protect human rights among AICHR members through prioritizing programs and agendas for 2025.
The meeting covered updates on recent developments in the region, including new laws and regulations, and human rights initiatives by ASEAN Member States. Discussions also focused on implementing AICHR’s Priority Programmes/Activities, particularly on the rights of persons with disabilities, women, and children, combating disinformation and misinformation, human rights and policing in ASEAN, and business and human rights.
AICHR also explored measures to strengthen governance of its programs and activities and began preparing the AICHR Five-Year Work Plan (FYWP) for 2026-2030, aligning with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its strategic plans.
At the end of the meeting, Deputy Ombudsman Rigoberto Monteiro, leading the Timor-Leste delegation, expressed profound gratitude and honor for the opportunity for Timor-Leste to participate as an observer.
“As observer members, we actively engage in all discussions related to AICHR activities, including past priorities and future agendas. We believe our contributions can positively shape our roadmap for permanent ASEAN membership.”
He continued, “Timor-Leste has made significant progress in its human rights situation, reflecting a strong democracy. Our freedom of the press and expression indices rank among the highest in Southeast Asia, yet we remain vigilant in safeguarding the fundamental rights of our citizens.” Looking ahead, Timor-Leste aims to develop mechanisms and indicators to measure human rights development in the country.
Representatives from Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, the ASEAN Secretariat, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, and Timor-Leste as an observer participated in the 39th AICHR meeting.
This post is also available in: Tetun