New PH Representative to AICHR Weighs in on the Development of a Regional Declaration on Environmental Rights in ASEAN

Representative of the Philippines to the AICHR, Ms. Aileen S. Mendiola-Rau, is joined by Ms. Romchat Wachirarattanakornkul of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Mr. Mathew Baird of the Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law during Session 3: Milestones for a Declaration on Environmental Rights in ASEAN of the Inception Workshop for Preparation of a Work Plan to Develop a Regional Declaration on Environmental Rights in ASEAN.

MANILA, 21 June 2022 – The new Representative of the Philippines to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Deputy Assistant Secretary Aileen S. Mendiola-Rau, participated in the “Inception Workshop for Preparation of a Work Plan to Develop a Regional Declaration on Environmental Rights in ASEAN” held on 16 June 2022 via videoconference.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Mendiola-Rau delivered a presentation under “Session 3: Milestones for a Declaration on Environmental Rights in ASEAN”. She presented a synthesis of the discussions held during the workshop and highlighted the nexus not only between environment and human rights but also between environment and sustainable development, and how this can result in interesting discussions in the region. 

Referring to existing international and regional agreements and local legislations on environment in ASEAN, Deputy Assistant Secretary Mendiola-Rau mentioned that ASEAN is not starting from zero in drafting the Declaration. 

“The draft declaration can certainly have the potential to go beyond promotion to protection of rights,” said the Philippine AICHR representative during her presentation. 

“Environment affects everyone. It is transboundary, with far-reaching impacts not just to the current generation, but to the future ones too,” she added.

The workshop, spearheaded by AICHR Thailand, is the first of a series of workshops aimed at pursing a regional environmental rights declaration, which encompasses the right to a safe, clean, and sustainable environment as stated in the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. END