Emerging Regional Human Rights Systems in Asia

Asia is the only area in the world that does not have a human rights court or commission covering the region as a whole. However, a close look at recent developments in the region, especially in East Asia, shows that a human rights system is emerging. Various activities and initiatives for human rights cooperation are developing in Asia at the regional, sub-regional and national levels. Since the establishment of the ASEAN human rights body (AICHR) in 2009, the need for a review of the regional human rights mechanisms in Asia is stronger than ever. With a primary focus on twenty-three East Asian states, Tae-Ung Baik highlights the significant changes that have taken place in recent decades and demonstrates that the constituent elements of a human rights system (norms, institutions and modes of implementation) are developing in Asia.

1. Introduction; 2. Analytical framework: human rights systems in Asia; 3. Human rights norms in Asia; 4. Emerging human rights institutions in Asia; 5. The implementation of human rights in Asia; 6. Conclusion.

Dr Tae-Ung Baik joined the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii in 2011. Before coming to Hawaii, he was Assistant Professor and Director of the Korean Legal Studies Program at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia for eight years. Professor Baik teaches international criminal law, human rights in Asia, criminal procedure and Korean law. He earned his LLB from Seoul National University College of Law, and his masters (LLM) and doctoral (JSD) degrees on international human rights law from Notre Dame Law School, USA. Dr Baik was admitted to the Bar in the State of New York, and worked for Human Rights Watch in New York as a research intern and consultant. He conducted research on human rights as a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School in 2002 and served the South Korean Delegation in the 56th United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights as a legal adviser.