Edmund Bon

The ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue: Three things to watch out for

The ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue offers opportunities for Member States to be more transparent and frank in their discussions of human rights – as the key avenue for making stronger progress through normalizing talk of human rights and addressing issues.

Business and human rights: Reimagining a new human rights-friendly Malaysia

While ESG is important, most of its measures are not couched in rights. Rights give rise to justiciable claims and empower victims and survivors to go to the courts. We need to take legal, policy, and administrative measures to incorporate human rights into our governance and laws. Human rights and environmental due diligence must be mandatory to protect vulnerable communities.

173 action items recommended for Malaysia’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights on governance, labour and the environment

Edmund extended his appreciation to the team of experts and everyone who contributed to the drafting of the National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights in Malaysia. The report presented important recommendations: to mainstream human rights, to make human rights and environmental due diligence mandatory, and to better protect marginalised communities.

Megatrends: Geopolitics, geoeconomics, ASEAN Centrality, and human rights

Speaking on geopolitical and geoeconomic megatrends in ASEAN, Edmund Bon cautioned that, while the economic “decoupling” between the West and China may offer opportunities to ASEAN, human rights including labour rights, environmental rights, right to information, and right to self-determination need to be at the forefront of economic development in the region. Only then can we say we have achieved an ASEAN Centrality that can adequately safeguard our peoples.

A decade of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

While the AHRD has provided a platform for dialogue on human rights and has facilitated certain engagement initiatives, its limitations underscore ASEAN’s ongoing challenges in prioritising human rights. These shortcomings raise significant questions about the AHRD’s relevance and its overall impact within the ASEAN region.

Focusing on BHR-ESG includes advancing corporate accountability

Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been slow. Growing income inequality, conflicts, and climate change pose significant challenges. One report says the SDGs can only be achieved in 2092. In this context, corporate accountability becomes crucial. The third pillar of the UNCPs — access to remedy — must be at the front and centre of our work on sustainability.

Grant refugees rights, enable them to lead a decent life

Findings from recent research confirmed that refugees in Malaysia have been harassed by the authorities and subjected to demands for bribes. The inhumane treatment of refugees is unacceptable. If we are to progress as a nation, we cannot continue to be a society that allows the most vulnerable among us to be bullied.

The ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue: Three things to watch out for

The ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue offers opportunities for Member States to be more transparent and frank in their discussions of human rights – as the key avenue for making stronger progress through normalizing talk of human rights and addressing issues.

Business and human rights: Reimagining a new human rights-friendly Malaysia

While ESG is important, most of its measures are not couched in rights. Rights give rise to justiciable claims and empower victims and survivors to go to the courts. We need to take legal, policy, and administrative measures to incorporate human rights into our governance and laws. Human rights and environmental due diligence must be mandatory to protect vulnerable communities.

173 action items recommended for Malaysia’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights on governance, labour and the environment

Edmund extended his appreciation to the team of experts and everyone who contributed to the drafting of the National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights in Malaysia. The report presented important recommendations: to mainstream human rights, to make human rights and environmental due diligence mandatory, and to better protect marginalised communities.

Megatrends: Geopolitics, geoeconomics, ASEAN Centrality, and human rights

Speaking on geopolitical and geoeconomic megatrends in ASEAN, Edmund Bon cautioned that, while the economic “decoupling” between the West and China may offer opportunities to ASEAN, human rights including labour rights, environmental rights, right to information, and right to self-determination need to be at the forefront of economic development in the region. Only then can we say we have achieved an ASEAN Centrality that can adequately safeguard our peoples.

A decade of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

While the AHRD has provided a platform for dialogue on human rights and has facilitated certain engagement initiatives, its limitations underscore ASEAN’s ongoing challenges in prioritising human rights. These shortcomings raise significant questions about the AHRD’s relevance and its overall impact within the ASEAN region.

Focusing on BHR-ESG includes advancing corporate accountability

Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been slow. Growing income inequality, conflicts, and climate change pose significant challenges. One report says the SDGs can only be achieved in 2092. In this context, corporate accountability becomes crucial. The third pillar of the UNCPs — access to remedy — must be at the front and centre of our work on sustainability.

Grant refugees rights, enable them to lead a decent life

Findings from recent research confirmed that refugees in Malaysia have been harassed by the authorities and subjected to demands for bribes. The inhumane treatment of refugees is unacceptable. If we are to progress as a nation, we cannot continue to be a society that allows the most vulnerable among us to be bullied.