CHAPTER 5 - REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE The 8th Annual Meeting of SEANF was held in Quezon, The Philippines, from 18-19 October. Memberinstitutions agreed to undertake several new thematic projects: • Business and human rights (jointly led by the Indonesian and Philippine Commissions) • Environment and climate change (led by the Thai Commission) • Indigenous peoples (led by the Malaysian Commission) • Detention and monitoring (led by the Indonesian Commission) • Movement of peoples (led by the Timor Leste Commission) The Commission, as the lead institution for the project on IPs, prepared a concept paper in line with the SEANF Strategic Plan that proposed a number of activities that could be jointly implemented by member-institutions. The activities would involve partnership between SEANF focal points and various stakeholders including the Asia Pacific Forum of NHRIs, ICC, UN agencies and organisations related to IPs. The meeting also approved the SEANF Position Paper on AHRD, which had mainly incorporated the Commission’s input and which flagged the following core elements: • Principles of universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of human rights • Balance of rights, freedom and responsibilities • Applicable human rights principles and standards • Reference to ASEAN particularities • The role of NHRIs and other stakeholders • Evolution of the AHRD The Commission has forwarded the SEANF Position Paper to Malaysia’s Representative to the AICHR for consideration and possible engagement in drafting the AHRD. In reaffirming its presence as a credible human rights entity, SEANF agreed to strengthen its engagement with human rights defenders from CSOs and institutions of learning in the region, in accordance with its strategic priority. 96