SHORT HISTORY
In early 2004, the four Human Rights Commissions in South East Asia namely Komnas HAM, SUHAKAM, CHRP, and NHRCT decided to come together as a united force to help fast track the establishment of an ASEAN human rights mechanism that has been long in the making. They agreed to hold regular consultative meetings and to formalize this union by means of a signed agreement. Through this regular forum, they sought to foster collaboration among the four Commissions on measures to respond to human rights issues of common concern or with inter-border implications specifically on international terrorism; trafficking of persons (particularly women and children); migrant workers; economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development; and, human rights education. Their first formal meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 21 October 2004 and the second in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15-17 March 2006. During their third meeting in Bali, Indonesia on 25-28 June 2007, the four NHRIs signed a Declaration of Cooperation for the protection and promotion of human rights in South East Asia.
Under this Declaration, they agreed to carry out programs and activities particularly on the abovestated five (5) human rights issues of common concern. These inter-border issues and common concerns provided the framework of their cooperation, namely: (a) suppression of terrorism while respecting human rights; (b) human rights aspects of trafficking of persons; (c) protection of the human rights of migrants and migrant workers; (d) promotion of economic, social and cultural rights and right to development; and, (e) enhancement of human rights education. In addition, they agreed to advice their respective governments to take necessary steps to establish an appropriate ASEAN human rights mechanism and/or any organ in the ASEAN Charter.
During the 4th Annual Meeting in Manila, Philippines on 29-30 January 2008, the body agreed to adopt ASEAN NHRI FORUM (ANF) as the official name by which the four Human Rights Commissions under the Cooperation Agreement shall be collectively known. The name reflects two key methods of engagement of the body: consultation and cooperation. The body agreed the rotation of chairmanship using the alphabetical order of nations following the tradition of the ASEAN.
Hence, the 5th Annual Consultative Meeting of the ASEAN NHRI Forum in 21-23 January 2009 was held in Bangkok, Thailand and chaired by the NHRCT. At the close of the meeting in Bangkok, the chairmanship was passed on to Indonesia's Komnas HAM which chaired the forum up to the 6th Annual Meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 2009. Komnas HAM then passed on the chairmanship to Malaysia's SUHAKAM. At the 6th Annual Meeting of the NHRIs, the body agreed to change its name to SOUTH EAST ASIA NHRI FORUM (SEANF) to give emphasis to the geographical sub-region. On the 7th Annual Meeting hosted by SUHAKAM, the group welcomed the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice of Timor Leste as the fifth member of SEANF and the chairmanship was then passed to CHRP until the 8th Annual Meeting. The 8th Annual Meeting held in Quezon City, Philippines on 18-19 October 2011 paved the way for the welcoming of the newly established human rights commission in Myanmar. Thus, during the 9th Annual Meeting hosted by NHRCT on 12-14 September 2012, the Myanmar Human Rights Commission became the sixth member of SEANF and the chairmanship was then passed to PDHJ.