Indonesia calls for concrete ASEAN action to advance human rights

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Foreign Minister Sugiono has stressed the importance of taking concrete steps to advance human rights in Southeast Asia, saying that political commitment alone is not enough.

“Our task now is to translate that commitment into tangible action,” he said during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday.

According to a press statement released by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia emphasized that human rights progress must go beyond mere declarations of political will at the meeting.

It also urged AICHR to become more responsive to urgent human rights issues and to ensure that its programs have a direct impact on the lives of people in the region, particularly vulnerable groups.

Cross-sectoral collaboration was also highlighted as a critical point, especially in addressing shared challenges such as human trafficking and environmental degradation.

Beyond the ASEAN region, Indonesia encouraged AICHR to actively engage with external partners and speak out strongly against double standards in the global human rights discourse.

“AICHR must have the courage to reject human rights double standards, including in the case of Palestine,” Minister Sugiono stressed.

He welcomed the ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue and the launch of the ASEAN Guidelines on the Implementation of the Non-Punishment Principle for the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons.

He described both initiatives as concrete achievements in reinforcing justice and human rights protection across the region.

He then called for the institutional strengthening of AICHR and deeper regional cooperation to ensure that human rights values evolve in parallel with development.

“Human rights are not merely normative—they are the foundation for a peaceful, just, and inclusive region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Representative to AICHR, Anita A. Wahid, emphasized that Indonesia’s active engagement reflects its firm commitment to embedding human rights principles within ASEAN.

AICHR is currently drafting two new declarations—one on the right to a healthy environment and another on the right to development and peace.

During the meeting, AICHR’s 2025 Annual Report was officially submitted to be noted at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-58).

The report documents the implementation of 16 programs between July 2024 and June 2025. Indonesia was noted as the most active member, contributing to six initiatives that addressed civil and political rights, development, and environmental issues.

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