DTP alumna Prema Arasan is a highly experienced and committed social justice activist in Malaysia. A major focus of Prema’s advocacy has been the rights of Malaysia’s migrant workers.
The Malaysian economy is highly dependent on migrant workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka. Many face significant social stigma and discrimination, enabling many abuses. Those working for their rights also experience social stigma and discrimination, and the work takes courage and commitment.
Prema joined the special DTP / Migrant Forum in Asia Migrant Workers Program. Unlike other DTP courses, this country focused program consisted of a number of modules and aimed to build the migrant worker leadership network in Malaysia. At that time Prema was working for Tenaganita – perhaps the best known Malaysian NGO working to combat human trafficking. There Prema mobilised and organised thousands of exploited women workers, recovering unpaid wages and to secure decent working conditions.
Prema has high opinion about DTP training, and especially how it connected CSOs and human rights advocates.
“When I participated in DTP training, I was already working in human rights for almost 9 years. DTP training was helpful for me to revisit the basics of human rights. I also met so many people who were working in CSO spaces in the region. It was truly an incredible experience to come, share and listen to each other. DTP built many people in the region”
Since her participation in the DTP/MFA program, Prema has worked and consulted for UN agencies, governments, trade unions and business. She has become an established independent consultant with expertise in social compliance, and social mobilisation for human rights and labor rights. Based in Kuala Lumpur, also supports community and civil society organizations in building their resilience by training them in grant management, project management and leadership. Prema also worked as a political advisor for a prominent Malaysian Member of Parliament, advising on many community issues, public relations, and community engagement; and organising programmes for women and youth.
Through all of this, Prema has stayed connected with the others on the training, especially through the Whatsapp group they established. She said it’s a great community.
“That WhatsApp group kind of glued us together. When someone face any challenges or any issues that require resolution, we put it in the group and say “hey, I have this problem, do you have any capacity to support”. In this way we can tap on one another’s expertise and support.”
Prema’s early motivation to work for human rights came from personal experience. When her father was made redundant, Prema needed to seek a load to support her university study. The head of the organisation she approached, established to help her community of Indian Malaysians, publicly humiliated her saying “there is no point women studying at university” and denying her the loan. Prema arranged alternative source of funding to support her study, but this experience led her to want to work to end discrimination experience by others.
“When I saw a patriarchal leader do not support vulnerable and marginal member of community like me, I realised I will support myself and help my community.”
Prema continues this work, even as anti-migrant sentiment grows in Malaysia and globally. She wants to contribute and give back to DTP as a trainer drawing upon her years of experience of working in multiple sectors.
Prema attended the 2017/18 Migrant Workers Program in Malaysia, held jointly between the Diplomacy Training Program and the Migrant Forum in Asia.
