On 15-16 November 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) held its 7th Annual Meeting. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) hosted the said event which was attended by SEANF members' representatives, including the representative of The Provedor for Human Rights and Justice of Timor Leste (PDHJ), newest and fifth member of the SEANF.

Independent experts as well as representatives from the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF), the European Union (EU), the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW), the ASEAN Commission on the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the Regional Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism also participated in the Annual Meeting .

The objective of the meeting was to further strengthen cooperation between SEANF members and other human rights institutions to promote and protect human rights at the national, regional, and international levels. It is in this regard that the PDHJ was accepted as the fifth member of the SEANF following the Rules of Procedure Article 4 that states, "1. Forum may admit any National Human Rights Institution in the South East Asia region as member of the Forum."

Given the status of the PDHJ as national human rights institution in Timor Leste, its application to be a member of the SEANF was proposed by SUHAKAM and seconded by other members of the Forum.

Another highlight of the meeting was the turnover of SEANF's Chairmanship from SUHAKAM to the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP). Chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales accepted the responsibility on behalf of the CHRP.

The Meeting also identified the ways forward for SEANF in supporting regional and international mechanisms as well as the development of a Five-Year Strategic Plan which would serve as a roadmap for SEANF in pursuing its role to promote and protect human rights in the coming years.

Please click links to read SEANF's Way Forward and the Concluding Statements.