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The South East Asian region is the world's only one not providing an independent inter-governmental human rights system. There's neither a universal charter of human rights the people could cling to nor a special commission or tribunal observing the adherence of stipulated human rights standards which are the fundamental of an authentic and prospering democracy.

In 2003 the ten member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) rendered the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (Bali Concord II) in which they agreed upon the foundation of an ASEAN Community resting on three pillars: an ASEAN Security Community, an ASEAN Economic Community and an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. The Plan of Action of the ASEAN Security Community provides not only for the establishment of a network among existing human rights mechanisms but also for the promotion of education and public awareness on human rights.

Although ASEAN is still far away from being a strong union of sovereign equal member states as the EU is, based on the commitment to a democracy that is not deemed to be not worth the paper it is written on but devoting itself to the unconditional granting of human rights, a first step towards this most valuable goal is taken. Thus the Human Rights Colloquium is followed by a meeting of esteemed scholars especially discussing about the draft of a universal charter of human rights. Now it's up to the member states to run the adopted path and spread the notion throughout the region.

The KAS Rule of Law Programme Asia is encouraging and assisting the hosting Philippine Institute for Strategic and Development Studies and similar organizations pushing on the pursuit of an independent ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism.

From this year’s conference on Mr. Clauspeter Hill, Director of the newly established KAS Rule of Law Programme Asia, is replacing Dr. Colin Duerkop, Director of the KAS Politics Programme Asia, who co-organized and sponsored the annual conference in den past few years with full commitment.