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The Rule of Law for Democracy 347

Regional human rights institutions established by multilateral
international treaties must first build the consensus among the
states in the region on the specifics of human rights protections,
and the institutions will be operated according to the terms of
enforceable agreements regarding investigation, determination,
and enforcement regarding an act of violation.
As mutual supervision and pressure among countries in the
region can ensure the implementation of the decisions,
the institutions will provide a highly effective mechanism for
human rights protection.
Currently, Europe, Africa, and America have regional systems
for human rights protection.
Europe has the European Court of Human Rights, Africa has
the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and America has
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
As you can see from the example of the European Court of
Human Rights, regional human rights systems, through constant
communication with constitutional courts of each country in the
region, can improve the level of human rights protection over the
region and expand the consensus on human rights, democracy
and rule of law.
Unfortunately, Asia, the home of 60 percent of the world
population and where Korea and Thailand are located, is the only
continent that does not have a regional human rights court.
This is very regrettable, considering the difficult human rights
situations found in Asia today, and the tragic history of Asia,
where apologies and reflections for the past human rights violations
are still needed.
4.
Asia is a great continent. It is the birthplace of three of the
four ancient civilizations : Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, and Yellow
River.

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