Laos, Australia Ink Agreement on Human Rights Cooperation

0
5846

In a significant stride towards promoting and safeguarding human rights, the Australian Human Rights Commission has inked an agreement with the Lao Government and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The collaborative effort is set to continue under the Australia-Lao PDR Human Rights Technical Cooperation Program (HRTCP), marking a new four-year phase with USD 1.6 million in funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Commission President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, Australia’s Ambassador for Human Rights Brontë Moules, and Director General of the Department of Treaty and Law, Phoukhong Sisoulath, formalized the partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding on 23 November.

The HRTCP aims to provide practical support to the Lao government in meeting its international human rights commitments. This involves building the capacity of both the government and civil society in Laos regarding international human rights reporting obligations and implementation approaches.

In addition to the agreement signing, the Australian Human Rights Commission actively participated in the 8th Australia-Lao PDR Human Rights Dialogue on the same day.

As the new four-year phase unfolds, it is anticipated that this collaborative effort will continue to foster positive change and contribute to the advancement of human rights on both regional and global scales.