Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of Women and Girls A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Part B: Regional mechanisms dealing with the human rights of women As is the case with their international equivalents, regional human rights bodies, along with regional courts and tribunals, have an important role to play in protecting and clarifying the human rights of women and girls. The European Court of Human Rights, for example, has considered cases of gendered-related violations in areas such as trafficking in persons, forced sterilization, abortion, domestic violence and domestic servitude. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has established a position of Rapporteur on the Rights of Women and has generated a significant body of case law in relation to the human rights of women, as has the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The Americas also boasts the first intergovernmental agency established to ensure recognition of women’s human rights: the Inter-American Commission of Women, established in 1928. The only regional human rights mechanism in Asia and the Pacific – albeit one without an underlying regional human rights treaty – is the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.73 Composed of State representatives, it was established in 2009 as “the overarching human rights institution in ASEAN with overall responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights in ASEAN”.74 The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children was established in 2010. The Commission, which is one of very few standing human rights bodies in the Asia region, works to promote implementation of international standards on the rights of women and children, as well as relevant ASEAN instruments, such as the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.75 It also seeks to build knowledge and capacity among those who are critical to promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls, including legislatures, criminal justice agencies, relevant statutory institutions, civil society groups and community leaders. This is principally done by providing technical assistance, training and workshops.76 ASEAN COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN76 Purposes • To promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and children in ASEAN, taking into consideration the different historical, political, socio-cultural, religious and economic context in the region and the balances between rights and responsibilities. • To uphold, promote, protect, respect and fulfil the rights of women and children in ASEAN to live in peace, equality, justice, dignity and prosperity. • To promote the wellbeing, development, empowerment and participation of women and children in the ASEAN Community building process, which contribute to the realization of the purposes of ASEAN, as set out in the ASEAN Charter. • To enhance regional and international cooperation with a view to complementing national and international efforts on the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children. 34 73 For further information, see APF, International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions, 2012, pp. 100-101. 74 The Terms of Reference for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights are available at http://aichr.org/about/. 75 Adopted at the 23rd ASEAN Summit; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam; 9–10 October 2013; available at http://aseansummit-2013.tumblr.com/. 76 The Terms of Reference for the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children are available at www.asean.org/storage/images/2012/Social_cultural/ACW/TOR-ACWC.pdf.