Ray Paolo

Secretary General, Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism

 

Ray Paolo (Arpee) J. Santiago is the Secretary-General of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group). The Working Group is recognized in the ASEAN (ASEAN of Southeast Asian Nations) Charter as an “Entity Associated With ASEAN.” It has been working with ASEAN on issues of human rights institution-building and has been instrumental in the establishment of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

 

Arpee was also appointed as Legal Consultant and an Assistant to the Philippine Representative to the High Level Task Force set-up by ASEAN that drafted the ASEAN Charter and later on as an Assistant to the Philippine Representative to the High Level Panel that drafted the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. He was one of the human rights experts consulted by the AICHR in the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.

 

Arpee is also the Executive Director of Ateneo Human Rights Center which is the Secretariat of the Working Group. AHRC is based at the Law School of the Ateneo de Manila University. He is active in litigation involving cases affecting vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, urban poor, and peasants; policy research and analysis (e.g. human rights, women and children’s issues, local governance and administration of justice issues); networking, fundraising, and supervision of programs; editing publications; organizing and facilitating national and international seminars; drafting laws and lobbying for legislative reforms; and giving lectures on human rights, women and children’ rights and governance topics to local and national officials, military/police personnel, legislative staff, lawyers and law students, NGOs, religious groups, teachers, and vulnerable groups throughout the country.

 

Arpee is a Lecturer and Department Chair for International Human Rights Law of the Law School, teaching Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, Clinical Legal Education, Legal Writing, Legal Profession, Law on Sales and Constitutional Law.

 

He is also a Lecturer at the Institute of Law of the Far Eastern University.

 

Arpee took up his Bachelor of Arts Degree Major in Public Administration at University of the Philippines and Juris Doctor Degree at Ateneo de Manila University.