Over 1,000 activists gathered from Southeast Asia and beyond to participate in the ASEAN Peoples' Forum in Bangkok, from 20 to 22 February 2009. At the end of the forum, participants presented a statement to the ASEAN government leaders, urging them to establish a human rights body with "teeth".

Over 1,000 activists gathered from Southeast Asia and beyond to participate in the ASEAN Peoples' Forum in Bangkok, from 20 to 22 February 2009. At the end of the forum, participants presented a statement to the ASEAN government leaders, urging them to establish a human rights body with "teeth".
 
The three-day forum came ahead of the 14th ASEAN Summit. Establishment of the human rights body was one of the main subjects at the summit, held in Hua Hin, southern Thailand, from 26 February to 1 March. This annual event is the first since the association formally signed a charter, which mandates the establishment of a human rights body.

The ASEAN government leaders approved the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN human rights body, drafted by the High Level Panel. However, civil society organisations say that if the body were established accordingly, it will be "toothless". 

They called upon ASEAN to "be explicit in its mandate to actively protect, not just promote, human rights in ASEAN". But the terms of reference, which were leaked to the media, only stated its promotional role.

"The imbalance between promotion and protection mandate must be corrected", said Yap Swee Seng, the Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA.

The organisation has been calling for an accountable, independent and effective human rights body. It has launched T-shirts, stickers and posters with the same message (Please see picture).

ASEAN Peoples' Forum was immediately followed by the 4th ASEAN Civil Society Conference.

With other civil society groups, FORUM-ASIA organised four workshops: "Promoting the rights of indigenous peoples in the ASEAN"; "Toward the establishment of regional human rights protection mechanism in ASEAN"; "Need for enhanced protection of human rights defenders in ASEAN: Overview and challenges" and; "The role of civil society and trade unions in the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers".