The Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on Strengthening Cooperation to Achieve an ASEAN Caring and Sharing Community of 2007 expressed the prime commitment of ASEAN Member-States to give greater emphasis on the principle of democracy, respect for human rights and peace-oriented values in school curricula. The term "school", therefore, should be interpreted to include all levels and types of education systems including higher education. In order to prepare the foundation for the development of a more systematic human rights and peace education in the Region, the monumental research on "The Mapping and Analysis of Human Rights and Peace Education in Southeast Asia" was initiated with the vision of developing solid baseline data by stocktaking and assessment of existing study programs/courses on human rights and peace & conflict being carried out by various higher education institutions in ASEAN and Timor-Leste.

The research reveals not only the inextricable connection between education and the promotion of human rights and peace education in order to strengthen respect for social justice, human dignity and fundamental freedoms in Southeast Asia.