as conflicting with those of indigenous groups.
These issues subsequently became major focal
points for political conflict and instability.
The civil society of minorities across the region
is mixed. In some countries, there is very little
space for civil society organization and minorities consequently have not organized into CSOs.
Regionally, the networks of Dalits and indigenous peoples are particularly strong.
12.4.1 Standards and Mechanisms in
the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the
South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC):
Asia has two key sub-regional inter-governmental bodies: the Association of South East
Asian Nations and the South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation. Neither have specific
standards for minorities but both endorse cultural diversity.
Standards and Mechanisms of the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN):
In November 2007, ASEAN member States signed
the ASEAN Charter, which sets out the purposes
and principles of the Association. The Charter is
not a human rights treaty but does recognize
among the purposes and principles of ASEAN to
“promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms” (article 1.7 and 2.2(i)). There is
no specific reference to minorities in the Charter
but ASEAN’s principles include “respect for the
different cultures, languages and religions of
the peoples of ASEAN, while emphasizing their
common values in the spirit of unity in diversity”
(article 2.2 (l)).
Article 14 of the Charter calls for the establishment of a human rights body of ASEAN. A High
Level Panel was appointed in mid-2008 to being
the process for establishing the human rights
body. In 2009, the new body was named as the
ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on
Human Rights and was approved by member
States (AICHR). The AICHR has overall responsibility for the promotion and protection of human
rights in ASEAN.
Standards and Mechanisms of the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC):
The SAARC aims to promote economic growth
and development in the region but the SAARC
Charter does not mention human rights. A
number of SAARC treaties address human
rights related issues, however, and in 2004 SAARC
signed a Social Charter. The principles, goals and
objectives of the Social Charter indicate that
States should “ensure tolerance, non-violence,
pluralism and non-discrimination in respect of
diversity within and among societies” (article 2.2
(vii)) and “ensure that disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable persons and groups are
included in social development” (article 2.2 (xi)).
12.5 MINORITIES IN CENTRAL AND
EASTERN EUROPE (CEE) AND
THE COMMONWEALTH OF
INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)
The concept of minorities is widely accepted in
CEE and mostly in the CIS. In the post-Communist era, minorities have been freer to express
their ethnic, religious and linguistic identities.
However, minorities are among the groups
that have lost the most as a result of conflict
and transition.
The transition process has left many minority
groups excluded from full and equal political
and economic participation. Minorities are usually poorer than the majority, often live in remote
areas, and commonly experience problems of discrimination in access to employment, education,
health care, and development in their regions.
The Roma remain the most socially and economically marginalised minority group across the
region and their situation on the whole has worsened since the transition (Ringold, et al 2005).
Chapter 12: Regional Issues, Standards and Mechanisms
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