This book analyses marginalisation and human rights in Southeast Asia and offers diverse approaches in understanding the nuances of marginalisation and human rights in the region. Throughout the region, a whole range of similarities and differences can be observed relating to the Southeast Asian experience of human rights violation, with each country maintaining particular aspects reflecting the variability of the use and abuse of political power. This book explores the distinct links between marginalisation and human rights for groups exposed to discrimination. It focuses on ethnic minorities, children, indigenous peoples, migrant workers, refugees, academics, and people with disabilities. This book highlights the disparities in attainment and opportunity of marginalised and minority groups in Southeast Asia to their rights. It examines how marginalisation is experienced, with case studies ranging from a regional approach to country context. Paying attention to how broader socio-economic and political structures affect different people’s access to, or denial of, their fundamental human rights and freedoms, the book argues that tackling human rights abuses remains a major hurdle for the countries in Southeast Asia. Providing a broader conceptual framework on marginalisation and human rights in Southeast Asia and a new assessment of these issues, this book will be of interest to readers in the fields of Asian Law, Human Rights in Asia, and Southeast Asian Studies, in particular Southeast Asian Politics.

The Routledge Handbook of Human Rights in Asia provides a rich study of human rights challenges facing some of the most vulnerable people in Asia. While formal accession to core international human rights instruments is commonplace across the region, the realisation of human rights for many remains elusive as development pressure, violent conflict, limited political will and discrimination maintain human rights volatility. This Handbook explores the underlying causes of human rights abuse in a range of contexts, considers lessons learnt from global, regional and domestic initiatives and provides recommendations and justifications for reform. Comprising 23 chapters, it examines the strengths and weaknesses of human rights institutions in Asia and covers issues such as: Participation, marginalisation, detention and exclusion Private sector responsibility and security Conflict and post-conflict rehabilitation Trafficking, displacement and citizenship Ageing populations, identity and sexuality. Drawing together a remarkable collection of leading and emerging scholars, advisers and practitioners, this Handbook is essential reading for students, scholars, policy makers and advocates of human rights in Asia and the world.

Despite the enshrinement by the United Nations in 1948 of education as a universal human right, and despite the ideals espoused in the Education for All declaration in Dakar in 1990, it is patently clear that these ideals remain far from realized for a substantial portion of humankind. Especially at risk are vulnerable segments of society such as women, migrants, refugees, rural populations, ethnic minorities, and the financially disadvantaged. This book centres on efforts to provide education to these marginalized populations in the East and Southeast Asian region. Of particular interest are questions of financing and control. As various governments have struggled to manage the escalating costs of building schools, training teachers and educating students, the topic of public private partnerships in educational provision has assumed growing importance. The seven chapters presented here highlight a variety of partnerships among state, civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs).

This book proposes a selective approach for states with more advanced human rights protection to establish a human rights court for Southeast Asia. It argues the inclusive approach currently employed by ASEAN to set up a human rights body covering all member states cannot produce a strong regional human rights mechanism. The mosaic of Southeast Asia reveals great diversity and high complexity in political regimes, human rights practice and participation by regional states in the global legal human rights framework. Cooperation among ASEAN members to protect and promote human rights remains limited. The time-honored principle of non-interference and the “ASEAN Way” still predominate in relations within ASEAN. These factors combine to explain why the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights is unlikely to be strong and effective in changing and promoting regional human rights protection. This book suggests a selective approach to establish a human rights court for Southeast Asia. It posits that a group of nations within Southeast Asia may be more willing to consider the possibility of a stronger human rights mechanism. It investigates the challenges to and the feasibility of such a proposal. Furthermore, it examines the design of the three existing regional human rights courts in Europe, the Americas, and Africa, and compares the rationales for those institutional designs with the specific context of Southeast Asia. A human rights court for all ASEAN members may not be possible at this time, but a court for some nations in the region is feasible and worth exploring. The path towards this goal is never an easy one; however, the region possesses the necessary conditions to gradually translate that goal into reality.

This publication contains case studies on human and minority rights in the South Asian countries, including a special focus on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and articles on different forms of National Human Rights Commission and Immigration to the UK and «new minorities». It is further complemented by an in-depth study on Autonomy, Kashmir and International Law. Assembling articles authored by leading scholars from both South Asia and Europe, the book will contribute to a mutual exchange of views on human and minority rights issues in South Asia. In particular, the book is aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of current developments in South Asia and, on this basis, at enhancing a constructive dialogue between representatives of the scientific community, policy-makers and civil society in Europe and their counterparts in South Asia.

The divide between the West and Southeast Asia seems to be nowhere more apparent than in debates about human rights. Within these diverse geographical, political and cultural climates, human rights seem to have become relative, and the quest for absolutes seems unattainable. In this new book Philip J Eldridge seeks to question this stalemate. He argues that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' inclusion in United Nations' human rights treaties could be the common ground that bridges the gap between East and West. Eldridge uses topical case studies and primary research from Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor and Australia, to compare the effectiveness of United Nations' human rights directives on local democracies. This study presents insightful research into a hotly debated topic. As such it will be a thought-provoking resource for students of human rights, politics and international relations.

Today, business and human rights has emerged as a distinct field within the broader corporate responsibility movement. The endorsement by the United Nations Human Rights Council of a new set of Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights in 2011 has been welcomed as the leading global standard for corporations to respect human rights. The Guiding Principles are the culmination of a six year UN commissioned study by Harvard University's Professor John Ruggie, which concludes that companies should carry out human rights due diligence to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address their adverse human rights impacts. The Guiding Principles reinforce the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and greater access by victims to effective remedy, both judicial and non-judicial. This book draws on the UN Guiding Principles to provide an overview of developments within the ASEAN region in relation to business and human rights. Bridging theory and practice, chapter authors will discuss the implications of key case-studies undertaken across the region, with a particular focus on extractive industries, migration and infrastructure projects. Topics covered include: due diligence and the role of audits; the role CSR can play in achieving sustainable socio economic development; businesses' responsibilities to migrant workers; and the prevention of human rights abuses in states with weak levels of governance. The book aims to shed light on how ASEAN States currently understand and approach business and human rights challenges, and how the role played by ASEAN States may be strengthened and expanded. In doing so it clearly identifies the key themes, opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the region in relation to business and human rights.