MARUAH Singapore

Dear all,

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on 3 December 2009. We at MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism) are keen to build on the efforts by many actors who have been advocating on behalf of children with disabilities. In that context we would like to to invite you to attend a Focus Group discussion on Compulsory Education for Children with Disabilities in Singapore.

Day/ Date: Sat 28 Nov Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm
Venue: Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO),
96 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187967 (near Singapore Art Museum)
[This happens right before MARUAH’s Open House]

Under Singapore’s current Compulsory Education Act (2003), ‘any  child who is unable to attend any national primary school due to any physical or intellectual disability’ is excluded from education act…
Read the rest of this entry »

MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism) invites you to join its Open House on 28th Nov 2009. In this brief but important session, you can find out more about the local human rights group MARUAH, the work it has done, the work it intends to do, as well as talk about the work that you wish to see MARUAH do.

Date: 28th Nov 09, Saturday
Time: 4-6pm
Venue: Training Room 2, SCWO Building (Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations)
96 Waterloo Street
Click here for map (gothere.sg)

Please RSVP to maruahsg@gmail.com. Thanks and we hope to see you there. Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=448966
Five Countries Reject Civil Society Reps At Asean Summit

By D Arul Rajoo

HUA HIN, Oct 23 (Bernama) — The governments of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore have rejected members of civil groups from their respective countries at the 15th Asean Summit here.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Straits Times interviewed Ms Braema Mathi regarding the new ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), see below for the article.

——————————————–

23 October 2009
The Straits Times
‘Bite the bullet and learn from mistakes’

LIKE most civil society activists, Ms Braema Mathi takes issue with several aspects of the new human rights commission – particularly its adherence to Asean’s policy of non-interference.
Read the rest of this entry »

MEDIA STATEMENT
22 October 2009

We congratulate the appointment of Mr Richard R Magnus as Singapore’s first representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

MARUAH has engaged in informal discussions with him and are very pleased to note that he is open to discussions with civil society organisations in Singapore.

With his experience as the Senior District Judge prior to his retirement from the Legal Service, we look forward to his contributions to AICHR towards promoting and protecting the rights of people in ASEAN in accordance with international legal norms.

MARUAH calls on the Singapore Government to engage and consult civil society further and to include our voices in the future for such appointments.

———————————-

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release can be found here.

The Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (MARUAH) would like to invite all youths to participate in a Youth Human Rights Workshop: “whose Right is it anyway?”. Co-organised with UNYAS, this is a full-day workshop for anyone keen on learning more about human rights.  Read more in our e-flyer here.

Details below
Saturday, 31 October 2009
9.00 am to 5.30 pm
Singapore Management University
More information at our website: http://www.whoseright.wordpress.com

Sign up online here, as soon as possible.

The Online Citizen has written an article about the selection process of the Singapore representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

ASEAN Human Rights – Going Forward or Stalled?

Please see below for news of the open invitation for candidates, as part of the process of selecting the Thai representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

MARUAH recently held a public consultation on the AICHR, and has submitted its recommendations, which includes calling for an transparent & open process for the selection of Singapore’s
representative to the AICHR. To date there has been no response on the selection process in Singapore…

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/09/02/regional/regional_30111285.php
FM invites candidate for Asean human rights panel
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on September 2, 2009

The Foreign Ministry has opened for applications of candidates to represent Thailand in the Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights, the regional body to promote and protect human rights in the region.

The application is opened for all Thai nationals who are interested in and keen on human right matters as well as have experience in human right works, said the ministry’s Director of Asean Affairs Department Vitavas Srivihok.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Sunday Times
23 August 2009
‘Adopt NMP process to pick rep for ASEAN rights body’
By Kor Kian Beng

Singapore’s representative to an ASEAN human rights body should be picked in a process similar to the selection of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP).

This is one key proposal that Singapore rights advocacy group MARUAH will make to the Government, said its chairman Braema Mathi.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 members of MARUAH (Braema Mathi & Peter Low) were recently interviewed on The Living Room, a radio talkshow on 938LIVE. The interview included discussions on human rights issues in ASEAN, specifically the new ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

Click here for more details of the interview.