ASEAN in the realm of refugee protection and human security

Abstract

Southeast Asia currently has a large refugee population and faces an ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis. Although human security is in ASEAN’s official agenda, refugee protection is not included in the agenda. Given that refugee protection is an important pillar of human security because to protect refugees is to protect individuals whose human security is threatened, this contradiction has created challenges for ASEAN to respond to refugee crisis within its borders. This paper analyses the evolvement of refugee protection and human security within ASEAN. Using the Rohingya refugee crisis as a case study, it discusses ASEAN’s negotiation of refugee protection in light of its commitment towards human security.