Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs attended the Interface meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and AICHR Representatives, supporting AICHR on mainstreaming human rights across three ASEAN pillars, engagement with external partners and emphasising the need to review the Terms of Reference of AICHR for better promotion and protection of human rights in ASEAN.

On 2 August 2021, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand attended ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Interface with AICHR Representatives on the sideline of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings via videoconference.

The meeting took note of the report of AICHR activities in the past year, engagement with civil society organisations as well as external partners and regional stakeholders. The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of supporting engagement between AICHR and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) to ensure effective and inclusive implementation of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Elimination of Violence Against Children in ASEAN, especially in the context of business conduct amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasised the need to review the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the AICHR to enable AICHR to better respond to the evolving human rights situations.