The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP), together with Myanmar and Philippine civil society and women organizations, convened the Forum “Strengthening Regional Accountability through the Lens of the Women, Peace, Security, and Humanitarian Situation in Myanmar” to examine how ASEAN can strengthen its response to Myanmar’s deepening human rights and humanitarian crises through the effective implementation of its Women, Peace and Security (WPS) commitments and the Five-Point Consensus (5PC). The Forum was held on 3 August in Manila.
Bringing together approximately 80 representatives from Burma/Myanmar women’s rights organizations, civil society organizations, humanitarian and peace actors, regional and international experts, academics, members of the diplomatic community and the media, the forum critically assessed the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security (ASEAN RPA on WPS). The Forum examined the widening gap between ASEAN’s commitments and the realities faced by women and conflict-affected communities in Myanmar, and put forward concrete recommendations to strengthen ASEAN’s accountability, protection efforts and humanitarian response. WPS is a critical global priority framed by the UN Security Council’s Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security.