20 November 2025, videoconference – The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institution Forum (SEANF) held their 5^th Interface Meeting on 20 November 2025. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Edmund Bon Tai Soon, AICHR Chair and Representative of Malaysia to AICHR. It was attended by AICHR Representatives/Alternate Representatives, Chairs and Commissioners from SEANF members* led by Anis Hidayah, Chair of SEANF and the National Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia (Komnas HAM RI), and officials from the ASEAN and SEANF secretariats.

This marked the first time the Representative of Timor-Leste to AICHR participated in the interface as a member of the Commission with full rights following Timor-Leste’s admission to ASEAN at the 47^th ASEAN Summit in October 2025.

The interface between AICHR and SEANF continued to serve as an open and collaborative platform for dialogue and constructive engagement on key human rights priorities, developments and challenges in the region. Discussions covered a spectrum of human rights issues, including the right to development; rights of women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, and those in vulnerable and marginalised situations; business and human rights and the environment; trafficking in persons; transnational crimes; online scamming; telecommunications and network fraud; access to remedies and justice; youth participation and engagement; right to peace; conflict prevention and management; climate change; statelessness; migration; nationality; repatriation; digital literacy; online safety for children; freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief; prevention of torture and cruel treatment; transfer of prisoners, alternative learning centres for children, economic, social and cultural rights, and the inter-National Human Rights Institutions inquiry mechanism for transboundary human rights violations, among others.

Parties also discussed ways to deepen cooperation and discussed communications received, referral modalities, and grievance-handling mechanisms to address emerging human rights challenges such as online scams, transnational telecommunications and network fraud, statelessness, and other transboundary human rights issues. SEANF shared about the memoranda of understanding between the Komnas HAM RI, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), and Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of the Philippines (CHRP) to address specific issues which could be a baseline to explore further with AICHR Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

AICHR and SEANF provided information and updates on their respective work and looked forward to joint cooperation on the proposed regional plan of action and follow-up action to the recently adopted ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment and ASEAN Declaration on Promoting the Right to Development and the Right to Peace Towards Realising Inclusive and Sustainable Development.

This 5^th Interface Meeting was productive and constructive with an open and robust exchange of views and perspectives to further mutual interests in promoting and protecting human rights in ASEAN. Potential areas of collaboration were also deliberated on including drafting referral and grievance-handling procedures and guidelines, along with supporting initiatives on specific cases of vulnerable communities such as the Bajau Laut.

AICHR expressed its gratitude and appreciation to Komnas HAM RI for its leadership as the SEANF Chair in 2025 and welcomes continuing partnership with the incoming Chair, SUHAKAM, in 2026.

The Meeting closed with thanks to AICHR Malaysia and to the ASEAN and SEANF secretariats for their support and facilitation of the meeting arrangements.

*SEANF members comprise the National Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia (Komnas HAM RI), Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of the Philippines (CHRP), National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT), and Provedoria dos Direitos Humanos e Justica of Timor-Leste (PDHJ Timor-Leste).

Photo Credit: AICHR Malaysia