Cambodia’s garment industry represents 90 percent of the country’s exports and employs more than 300,000 workers by some estimates. It survived the 2008 global financial crisis, although job losses were registered across all special economic zones. But despite its vital contribution to the local economy, the garment sector has been facing criticism that it has been able to maintain global competitiveness only at the expense of providing its labor force with better working conditions and benefits. Indeed, the statutory minimum wage of Cambodia’s garment workers is currently the lowest in the Mekong region.

Last year, more than 200,000 workers in the garment sector went on strike in protest over their pauperized working conditions. The government responded by reminding employers to strictly enforce the occupational safety and health standards required by law.

To further highlight the demands of garment workers, the Asia Floor Wage network organized Cambodia’s first ever People’s Tribunal on Minimum Living Wage and Decent Working Conditions early this month. It was also the first tribunal in the Asia-Pacific aimed at establishing a standard on the issue of fair pricing for garment manufacturers and, in particular, strengthening the bargaining power of female workers within the global supply chain.

Aside from the wage issue, the tribunal also discussed the alarming rise of mass fainting incidents in many garment factories. In 2011 alone, the Free Trade Union reported that 2,300 workers fainted in five factories. Initial investigations revealed that many workers suffered from low blood sugar, malnutrition, dehydration, food poisoning and over-exertion. The government later confirmed that the fainting cases were related to poor working conditions in many factories.

During the tribunal, workers in the “fainting factories” recalled how they regularly work for 12 to 14 hours a day while being exposed to strong chemicals in hot and poorly ventilated environments. Most of the female workers said they also have to travel long hours, standing in overcrowded trucks, to get to work each day.

To stop the fainting, factory owners merely need to ensure that occupational safety and health policies are implemented. Specifically, workers should be taught how to properly handle chemicals and electrical equipment. In addition, workers should be given time to rest at the weekend, while any overtime worked during peak factory production periods should be undertaken in compliance with the law.

The tribunal succeeded in articulating the demands of garment workers, but the proposed reforms still need to be aggressively presented to the government and the global clients of Cambodia’s garment factories. Just a week ago, 162 garment workers in a Preah Sihanouk factory were reportedly rushed to various hospitals and clinics after they fainted at work.

A few years ago, there was a global outcry over the recruitment of child workers in Southeast Asia’s infamous sweatshops, an outcry that forced Western companies, employers, buyers, and local governments to sign a pact against this unfair labor practice. Today, consumers should likewise be informed that clothing companies are able to cut the prices of goods at the expense of Cambodia’s fainting workers. –Mong Palatino, The Diplomat

Although the Asia-Pacific region has witnessed widespread gains in combating the spread of HIV, experts at a United Nations meeting were told today that the epidemic is still outpacing the region’s efforts against new infections.

The three-day conference, which opened today at the Bangkok headquarters of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), will mark the first-time government leaders, senior officials, civil society representatives and people living with HIV from 34 Asia-Pacific countries meet in a single forum to tackle the ongoing epidemic in the region.

“The Asia-Pacific region has seen impressive gains in addressing HIV,” said ESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer in her address to the gathering, “but the epidemic is still outpacing the response,” she warned.

Over the past decade, the Asia-Pacific saw a 20 per cent drop in HIV infection rates and over one million people in the region obtained access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment. The incidence of HIV among children below the age of 15 also declined.

However, while new infections in high HIV-prevalence countries such as India and Thailand tapered off between 2001 and 2009, infections in low HIV-prevalence countries such as Bangladesh and the Philippines increased by 25 per cent over the same period.

“To move us closer towards the vision of zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths, we must ensure sustainable and high-impact responses by explicitly and meaningfully addressing HIV within the broader inclusive development agenda of the Asia-Pacific region,” Dr. Heyzer added.

In Asia, HIV is largely spread through unsafe drug use, sex work and among men who have sex with men (MSM) – the latter comprising a major source of new infections in urban areas. Without significant investment and scaling up of MSM programmes, the conference was told, the MSM demographic is projected to account for roughly half of new HIV infections in Asia by 2020.

In addition, an estimated 90 per cent of Asia-Pacific countries have punitive laws, policies or practices that block access to services for people at risk of and living with HIV/AIDS. Stigma and discrimination are also widespread among the infected, contributing to loss of jobs and diminished access to health care.

“For the first time in history we have the possibility to end AIDS and Asia-Pacific nations have shown we can lead the world in reducing infections, increasing treatment and making an impact,” said Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, President of Fiji. “But we cannot ignore the challenges our region faces and how these can jeopardize our ability to progress,” he noted. –http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41147&Cr=HIV/AIDS&Cr1=

KUALA LUMPUR: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Asean economies, including Malaysia, to slow because of the external headwinds and weakening internal demand.

The updated World Economic Outlook out of Washington on Tuesday has revised downwards its growth forecast for the Asean-5, which also includes Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, to 5.2 per cent for 2012.

Compared to its outlook four months ago, it now expects these economies to grow by 5.6 per cent in 2013.

During 2012 to 2013, growth in emerging and developing economies is expected at an average 5.75 per cent, a significant slowdown from the 6.75 per cent growth registered during 2010-2011 and about 0.5 percentage point lower than projected in the September 2011 WEO.

“This reflects the deterioration in the external environment, as well as the slowdown in domestic demand in key emerging economies,” the IMF said.

Despite a substantial downward revision of 0.75 percentage point, developing Asia, which includes China and India (and Asean-5), is still projected to grow most rapidly at 7.5 per cent on average in 2012-2013.

It said the recovery of the supply chain disruptions caused by the March 2011 Japanese earthquake was also stronger, while stabilising oil prices helped support consumption.

But these developments, it added, are not expected to sustain signi-ficant momentum.

“By contrast, growth in the emer-ging and developing economies slowed more than forecast, possibly due to a greater-than-expected effect of macroeconomic policy tightening or weaker underlying growth.”

The IMF said emerging and developing economies’ near-term policy should focus on responding to moderating domestic growth and to slowing external demand from advanced economies.

“Some emerging economies with low debt and deficits and declining inflationary pressure have room to make policy more supportive of economic activity.”

Emerging economies highly dependent on commodity revenues and external capital inflows also need to consider the risk of a large and protracted decline in these flows.

In September last year, the IMF revised down its growth projection for the Malaysian economy from 5.5 per cent to 5.2 per cent for 2011, and 5.1 per cent for 2012.

Supported by domestic demand, it expects Malaysia’s growth to be led by robust investment to offset the slowdown in export momentum.

The IMF warned that the risks to stability have increased, despite the various policy steps taken to contain the euro area debt crisis and banking problems.

The US and other advanced economies will be impacted by spillovers from the euro area crisis.

“Developments in the euro area also threaten emerging Europe and may spill over to other emerging markets. Further policy actions are needed to restore market confidence,” it added. By Rupa Damodaran

Read more: IMF: Asean growth will be slower http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/rup25ee/Article/#ixzz1kpw123Hr

MANILA, Philippines – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its economic growth forecast for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN 5) due to the escalating debt crisis in the euro zone.

In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF said the sub-regional grouping ASEAN 5—comprising the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam—would post an average growth of 5.2 percent this year, lower than the original projection of 5.6 percent. It also lowered its 2013 growth projection for the region to 5.6 percent   from the original 5.8 percent.

“The global recovery is threatened by intensifying strains in the euro area and fragilities elsewhere. Financial conditions have deteriorated, growth prospects have dimmed, and downside risks have escalated,” the IMF stressed.

The IMF also lowered its world economic growth forecast to 3.3 percent instead of four percent this year and to 3.9 percent instead of 4.5 percent   next year.

“This is largely because the euro area economy is now expected to go into a mild recession in 2012 as a result of the rise in sovereign yields, the effects of bank deleveraging on the real economy, and the impact of additional fiscal consolidation,” the IMF said.

The latest update lowered the GDP growth projection of advanced economies by 0.7 percent to 1.2 percent instead of 1.9 percent this year and by 0.5 percent to 1.9 percent instead of 2.4 percent for next year.

The IMF retained the GDP growth target of the US at 1.8 percent this year but lowered next year’s growth forecast   to 2.2 percent instead of 2.5 percent.

Likewise, the IMF sees the GDP of the European Union   contracting at a slower pace of 0.5 percent instead of 1.6 percent this year before recovering with a softer growth of 0.8 percent instead of 1.5 percent next year.

“Global growth prospects dimmed and risks sharply escalated during the fourth quarter of 2011, as the euro area crisis entered a perilous new phase,” the IMF said.

The IMF reported that the world economic output expanded by 3.5 percent as of end third quarter of last year and likely posted an annual GDP growth of 3.8 percent in 2011 as growth in advanced economies led by the US surprised on the upside.

“Growth in the advanced economies surprised on the upside, as consumers in the United States unexpectedly lowered their saving rates and business fixed investment stayed strong. The bounce back from the supply-chain disruptions caused by the March 2011 Japanese earthquake was also stronger than anticipated,” it said.

The IMF said growth in emerging and developing economies is also expected to slow because of the worsening external environment and a weakening of internal demand.

“The most immediate policy challenge is to restore confidence and put an end to the crisis in the euro area by supporting growth, while sustaining adjustment, containing deleveraging, and providing more liquidity and monetary accommodation,” the IMF said.

The agency lowered its GDP growth target for emerging and developing economies by 0.7 percent to 5.4 percent instead of 6.1 percent this year and by 0.6 percent to 5.9 percent instead of 6.5 percent next year.

For developing Asia, the IMF slashed its growth forecast   to 7.3 percent instead of eight percent this year and   to 7.8 percent instead of 8.4 percent next year.

The economic expansion of China is expected to slow to 8.2 percent instead of nine percent this year and to 8.8 percent instead of 9.5 percent next year.

“The updated WEO projections see global activity decelerating but not collapsing. Most advanced economies avoid falling back into a recession, while activity in emerging and developing economies slows from a high pace,” the IMF said. –Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star)

A much awaited outcome of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’s commitment to human rights in 2012 will be the finalisation of an Asean instrument on human rights, particularly in the form of a Human Rights Declaration. It will underline the perception and position towards human rights in this region. The drafting process under the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), is now in full swing and is expected to gather momentum leading to a crescendo in the next few months.

Karen and Burmese migrant workers march through Mae Sot municipality in Tak on the occasion of International Migrant Day on Dec 18, 2011, to demand the same wages and welfare as their Thai counterparts are entitled to.

Auspiciously, the process is not starting from zero and is already shaped by the Asean Charter which calls for the setting up of a regional human rights body, as well as the terms of reference of the AICHR. There are also two other bodies working on human rights in specific areas, namely the Asean Commission on the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children, and the Asean Committee on the implementation of the Asean Declaration on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers, both with their own terms of reference.

At the outset, it can be noted that while the charter does not define human rights, it refers to various principles, including in Article 2, which should influence the draft declaration. It calls for “respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the promotion of social justice and upholding the United Nations Charter and international law”.

Meanwhile, the terms of reference of the AICHR states as one of its purposes, in Article 1: “To uphold human rights standards as prescribed by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration (of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights) and Programme of Action, and international human rights instruments to which Asean Member States are parties.”

Currently, all Asean countries are parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Increasingly, many are also becoming parties to other key treaties such as the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Yet, it can be surmised that in the drafting process of the future declaration, there could be some challenging areas, include the following:

First, the less liberal trends will probably try to raise the issue of national sovereignty and the principle of “non-interference in the internal affairs of a state” to limit the application of human rights.

From an international perspective, however, sovereignty itself comes with the responsibility to protect human rights. Moreover, international human rights advocacy is a part of international law and jurisdiction, and cannot be considered to be interference in the affairs of a sovereign state. This is easily illustrated by the fact that all Asean countries were and are against apartheid, and have never considered their advocacy on this front to be interfering in the internal affairs of another state.

Second, there may be a question as to whether to refer to various particularities, such as by means of the term “Asean values”, in the draft text.

The term itself has a negative connotation because it is linked with the much criticised “Asian values”. Basically, these terms imply that there should be deference to “authority”, particularly dictating that the government’s action should prevail over the rights of individuals and that economic rights should prevail over political rights. It should not be forgotten that the term “Asean values” was rejected in the drafting of the terms of reference of the AICHR.

A better term is to underline “values in Asean” which support universal human rights standards. A positive list of these values includes our commitment to peace, non-violence from the home to the state level, and a caring community that cherishes human dignity and the rights and freedoms of individuals to help strengthen international human rights law rather than to compromise it.

Third, this region as elsewhere likes to talk about not only rights but also duties and responsibilities. The draft declaration should aim for a balance between responsibilities on the part of individuals and responsibilities on the part of the state and other non-state actors.

Internationally, every person is already under a duty towards his or her family, community and state, and he/she must exercise his or her rights with due regard to the rights of others. For instance, freedom of expression cannot be used to defame others.

However, the duties and limitations to be imposed on individual rights must also be based on fair and transparent criteria: there must be a limitation on the limitations.

Internationally, therefore, if there are to be such limitations to constrain the exercise of human rights, they must be in accordance with the law and not be based on arbitrary action; necessary in view of the risks; proportionate to the circumstances; and in the pursuit of democratic aims.

Moreover, some rights such as the right to life and freedom from torture, are absolute and cannot be constrained.

It is also important to highlight that human rights are based on non-discrimination; they are not only the rights of our nationals but of all persons on our territory, including stateless persons, refugees, displaced persons, migrant workers, minorities and indigenous peoples, bearing in mind gender sensibility.

The rights are premised on basic minimum standards of humane treatment for all, such as protection from violence, access to justice and access to basic services and assistance, including free and compulsory education, birth registration and emergency healthcare.

On another front, it is now internationally accepted that every nation has a responsibility to protect its population from serious violations, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, failing which the international community can offer a helping hand and take other actions under the UN charter.

Therefore, what is at stake is that a future Asean Declaration should _ both in form and content _ not be lower than universal human rights standards. It should also progressively open the door to more effective implementation of human rights in the region in a comprehensive manner, such as through human rights responsive laws, policies, practices, mechanisms and resources. Civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are to be promoted and protected holistically and not in a segmented manner.

Just as human rights, the issues of peace, democracy, sustainable development and respect for the environment are inextricably intertwined and are part and parcel of the preferred value of Asean connectivity.