Philippines Calls for Empowerment of Children to Prevent Violation of their Right to a Sustainable Environment in ASEAN

Philippine Representative to the AICHR Aileen S. Mendiola-Rau attended the Dialogue on the right to a healthy environment and climate change held in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo from Asia Pacific Forum. (Bangkok PE photo)

BANGKOK, 13 December 2022 — ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Philippines emphasized empowerment of children to prevent the violation of their right to a healthy and sustainable environment during the Dialogue on the right to a healthy environment and climate change held on 24-25 November 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand organized by the Asia Pacific Forum.

Philippine Representative to the AICHR and Deputy Assistant Secretary Aileen S. Mendiola-Rau presented during Session 10: Children’s Rights and the Environment: ASEAN Context and stressed that ASEAN needs to employ a more encompassing lens in addressing challenges faced by this vulnerable group.

“There has been a growing understanding of the basic human right to a healthy environment, the need to keep the best interest of the child at the center of our joint efforts to achieve a sustainable future, and the vital role that children themselves can play in identifying, advocating for, and implementing solutions,” Ms. Mendiola-Rau stressed to participants representing national human rights institutions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Thailand, CSOs and AICHR Representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

She also pushed for recommendations that will promote and protect the rights of children: strengthening of advocacy work; providing access to justice and effective remedies; engaging the legislative and judicial bodies; and ensuring cross-pillar and cross-sectoral efforts.

The Dialogue was organized for the Representatives of AICHR and South-East Asia National Human Rights Institutions (SEANF) to share challenges and best practices on the right to a healthy environment and climate change. END

Ms. Mendiola-Rau of AICHR Philippines with representatives from AICHR, National Human Rights Institutions from Southeast Asia, Civil Society Organizations and partners