H.E. Mr. Sek Wannamethee, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand, speaks on behalf of ASEAN to share ASEAN's efforts to promote and protect human rights and implement the SDGs, at the first HRC intersessional meeting for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 16 January 2019.

JOINT STATEMENT BY ASEAN

HRC INTERSESSIONAL MEETING FOR DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Theme: Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality

Session 3: Building synergies between human rights and SDG implementation at the national level

Delivered by H.E. Mr. Sek Wannamethee,

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations

16 January 2019, 15.00-16.00 hrs, Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva

Mr. Chair,

I have the honor of delivering this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

ASEAN recognizes the mutually reinforcing and complementary nature of human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

ASEAN welcomes the focus on dialogue and sharing of ideas, good practices and challenges regarding the promotion and protection of human rights and the SDGs implementation among States and all stakeholders at this meeting.

ASEAN seeks to promote the complementarities between the 2030 Agenda and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, which envisions a people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN Community where our peoples enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms.

ASEAN is committed to working with its partners to promote sustainable development, taking into account the challenges and circumstances of each member. Our commitment is captured in the theme of Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019: “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”.

Several ASEAN initiatives are in progress to promote and protect human rights and implement the SDGs based on the “leaving no one behind” principle.

The ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue will be established in Thailand this year, together with the ASEAN Center for Active Ageing and Innovation.

Given the multi-faceted impacts of climate change and its disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups, in particular the enjoyment of their human rights, ASEAN has also taken substantive actions to address climate change and emphasizes the need for States to fulfil their climate change-related commitments in enhancing sustainable development, mitigation and adaptation.

ASEAN attaches importance to the rights of persons with disabilities. The ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025 aims to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities across all three pillars of the ASEAN Community and fosters Member States’ commitment towards an inclusive community, in line with the 2030 Agenda.

ASEAN emphasizes the importance of promoting the incorporation of gender in all areas of sustainable development. In this connection, we strengthen our commitment to addressing gender inequalities, and encouraging the mainstreaming of gender in the political-security, economic and socio-cultural spheres in order to contribute to the realization of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Agenda.

ASEAN Member States also seek to promote gender-responsive implementation of the SDGs, by enhancing capacity in strengthening their national and sub-national sex-disaggregated databases and analyses on all SDGs, and by considering the establishment of reliable regional gender statistics.

In conclusion, these initiatives, among others, demonstrate ASEAN’s determination to advance the human rights and sustainable development agenda.

ASEAN reaffirms its commitment to fostering constructive dialogue and cooperation pertaining to the promotion and protection of human rights and SDGs implementation.

Thank you.