National Human Rights Institutions in the Asia-Pacific Region

Burdekin (Melbourne U. Law School, Australia) analyzes the legislative mandates and operational aspects of current national human rights institutions established in the Asia-Pacific region, assessing them against the United Nations Principles relating the status of National Institutions (the 1991 Paris Principles) at a minimum. Following an introduction and overview, his chapters address mandates powers and functions; independence, accessibility, resources, and other essential characteristics; relations with government institutions; cooperation with international treaty bodies, the UN Commission on Human Rights, and other charter-based mechanisms; regional cooperation; and challenges of protecting economic, social, and cultural rights and operating in situations of armed conflict. Some 400 pages of the volume contain relevant legislation from Australia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, as well as other documentary materials. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Brian Burdekin is currently Visiting Professor at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, teaches in the post-graduate program at Melbourne University Law School and is international adviser to a number of national human rights institutions in Africa, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.