ASEF’s work on Governance and Human Rights focuses on policy areas ranging from human security to human rights to analysing the function of the ASEM process itself. This work aims to promote good governance across a number of levels, be it on national or regional levels, and through building capacities. In the past, ASEF’s work has examined the latest developments in policing standards, conflict transformation, soft security issues, and public diplomacy initiatives, to name but a few. The central element of ASEF’s work in this thematic area is the ‘Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights’ series, which is a large-scale human rights dialogue between civil society organisations and government representatives from ASEM member countries. Initiated at the 1st Meeting ASEM Foreign Ministers’ in Singapore in 1997 by the governments of France and Sweden, the seminar promotes mutual understanding and cooperation between Asia and Europe in tackling diverse human rights issues.
 27-29 June 2012
Seoul, Republic of Korea A total of 120 participants representing 41 ASEM members gathered from 27 to 29 June 2012 in Seoul, Republic of Korea for the 12th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights. The seminar’s main objective was to facilitate dialogue on the improvements and challenges that the global information society has raised in terms of human rights’ protection and promotion. This was specifically in the context of freedom of expression, the right to privacy, the digital divide, and the right to cultural enjoyment of the internet. A special side event was organised on privacy and data protection. The key recommendations covered human rights’ protection on the internet, the responsibilities of stakeholders, and the need for digital education and capacity-building for all citizens and communities. The full proceedings of the seminar will be published in March 2013. Organised by ASEF in partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (on behalf of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, the event was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.  ^ Participants sharing notes at the 12th Informal ASEM Seminar on
Human Rights
 ^ The two main rapporteurs reacting to participants’ feedback in the
plenary session
|
 |
 3-4 December 2012
Singapore ASEF brought together 20 young representatives from the public sector, business, civil society organisations, the media, think-tanks and academia for the 4th ASEM Outlook Workshop. The workshop explored emergent policy issues relevant to ASEM by individuals who will conceivably play a significant role in Asia-Europe relations in the next 20 to 30 years. Jointly organised by ASEF and the United Nations University – Institute of Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), the workshop was held in Singapore on 3 and 4 December 2012 shortly after the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM 9). For the first time in this series a two-volume ASEM Outlook Report was published to examine cross-cutting issues relevant to Asia and Europe. See the publication section for more details on the report. 
^ Participants of the ASEM Outlook Workshop 2012
 ^ Group photo of the ASEM Outlook Workshop 2012
|