Rafendi Djamin, the Indonesian representative for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Committee on Human Rights (AICHR) says that inputs and insights from the civil society are important for the drafting process of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. He said this on the meeting at Hotel Aryaduta on Friday, 15 June 2012, hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as preparation for the Regional Consultation on ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), to be held in Kuala Lumpur on 22 June 2012.
There were more than 15 CSOs participating in the meeting. They represent various groups and communities such as women, children, media, lawyers, human right working group, and migrant workers. AGENDA also attended the meeting represented by PPCI (Indonesian Disabled People Association) and PPUA Penca (Center for Electoral Access for Citizens with Disability). On the meeting Rafendi talked about the latest development and challenges towards the AHRD which is planned to be officially adopted in November 2012 in Cambodia. The AICHR is now in the final step of finalizing the document. However, they still have one or two more meetings before submitting the Draft to the ASEAN Foreign Ministry Meeting in July 2012. Before the declaration, each country is encouraged to hold a meeting with its civil society to get final inputs, suggestions and comments.
The meeting also decided to nominate Indonesian representatives to attend the meeting in Malaysia on 22 June 2012. AGENDA was invited by ASEAN Secretariat to the meeting as representative of the disability community and as one of the regional-level organizations.