An Introduction to Human Rights in Southeast Asia

When the Southeast Asian Human Rights Studies Network (SEAHRN) was formed in 2009 one of its first activities was the development of a textbook for Southeast Asia students. This was in response to its objective of improving teaching on human rights in Southeast Asian universities. Given that education on human rights is a human right itself, and that few students graduate from university with any knowledge of human rights, there is much work to do.

Many lecturers at Southeast Asian universities spoke of the frustration of not having textbooks appropriate for their courses. While there are many excellent human rights textbooks available, they do not always suit the needs of students in Southeast Asian universities. Translation is a big problem, as nearly all undergraduate students study in their national language. The cost of a textbook is another challenge, as they can cost the equivalent of a month’s living allowance for the average undergraduate student. Further, most textbooks do not mention Southeast Asia and do not focus on the concerns which are relevant for students.