The Charter of the Organization of American States established the Organization of American States (OAS), which has among its principles and purposes the strengthening of peace and security, ensuring peaceful settlement of disputes, providing for a common action in the event of aggression, and promoting economic, social and cultural development.It also proclaims the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed or sex.
It was within the framework of the OAS that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was established, and that the 1948 American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, as well as the 1969 American Convention on Human Rights, were elaborated.
Although there is no specific system that covers all of the Asia/Pacific region a lot of countries have signed up to the United Nations treaties. Some countries in the region have more developed human rights systems than others.
There is a Asian Human Rights Commission which was set up 1986 as a non-governmental organisation to help promote Human Rights within the region.
Future Intergovernmental Human Rights Systems
On the 8th August 1967 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established and this has now 10 members: Indonesia (1967), Malaysia (1967), Philippines (1967), Singapore (1967), Thailand (1967), Brunei Darussalam (1984), Vietnam (1995), Lao PDR (1997), Myanmar (1997) and Cambodia (1997). This was not related to Human Rights but human rights has become a part of the remit recently with the decision to draft a ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.