PH Bags Two Awards in the ASEAN Human Rights Youth Debate

Colleen Anne T. Chua, “Best Speaker” for the motion on human rights education in school curriculums in all ASEAN member states. (Sovanna Kem photo)

PHNOM PENH 24 September 2017 – Three student debaters from the University of the Philippines Diliman represented the Philippines at the annual ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Youth Debate on Human Rights in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 08-10 September 2018. 

Colleen Anne T. Chua, Neal Amandus D. Gellaco, and Clarice Kimberley M. Tee competed along with other ASEAN young debaters in three separate motions.

Ms. Chua won as “Best Speaker” in the round on human rights education in school curriculums across ASEAN.  Mr. Gellaco also won the same honor for the motion on the migrant workers children’s right to education.

This year’s debate had five motions: “human rights education should be made compulsory in school curriculum by all the ASEAN Member States,” “Children of migrant workers should be entitled to the right to education,” “Celebrities have no right to privacy,” “Air pollution should be enforced as a cross-border crime,” and “Rape should be considered a capital crime.”

Organized by AICHR-Cambodia this year, the AICHR Youth Debate aims to raise awareness on AICHR among the youth of ASEAN, foster public speaking, critical thinking leadership skills, promote solidarity, empathy and camaraderie, and create a platform for ASEAN youth to express their views on human rights and interact with academics and experts on human rights issues in the region.

The debate is part of AICHR’s priority programs or activities in 2018 to enhance public awareness of human rights among the peoples of ASEAN through education, research, and dissemination of information.

AICHR was established in 2009 to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of ASEAN. END

Neal Amandus D. Gellaco, “Best Speaker” for the motion of the migrant worker children’s right to education. (Sovanna Kem photo)

Clarice Kimberley M. Tee speaks as part of the debate round on the right to privacy of celebrities. (Sovanna Kem photo)

From left: Neal Amandus D. Gellaco, Colleen Anne T. Chua, Clarice Kimberley M. Tee