DTP E-Newsletter 209

DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

Building the capacity of Asia-Pacific
Human Rights Movements since 1990

The next contribution to this year’s series on the impacts of global heating on human rights is “A MANIFESTO TO COMBAT GLOBAL HEATING” prepared by the Environmental Justice Foundation ahead of the COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021. The Manifesto is “designed to point the way and highlight what can and should be done to achieve a sustainable, survivable future, providing a framework for the system change we urgently need.” READ THE MANIFESTO

In this issue we profile Bangladeshi alumna Maria Sultana Kalpona, an advocate for the rights of migrant workers, provide information about DTP's programs, partners and the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

DTP Programs

AUSTRALIAN AND ASEAN CIVIL SOCIETY EXCHANGE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY: 10 October - 7 November in partnership with MFA: 14 participants from Australia, Indonesia and Thailand CSOs were involved in discussions focusing on how Australian, Indonesian and Thai CSOs can collaborate to address trafficking and slavery in regional fishing supply chains connected to Australian retailers and consumers. READ MORE

BUILDING SOCIAL INCLUSION, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY IN MYANMAR: 11-29 November, Australia in partnership with Lawkapala Foundation: 17 Fellows from the Myanmar diaspora will participate in a knowledge exchange with Australian organisations, building their capacity and initiating lasting relationships between individuals and organisations in Myanmar and Australia. More information to follow.

"EMPOWERING HUMAN RIGHTS BY ERADICATING CORRUPTION": EXPLORING THE NEXUS: Malaysia. This pilot capacity building program in partnership with The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) has been postponed to 2025. READ MORE

DTP BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ALUMNI NETWORK WORKSHOP: 12-14 December 2024, Bangkok. DTP in partnership with MFA and AIPP is holding a three-day workshop with alumni in Bangkok, Thailand with a view of establishing a Business and Human Rights alumni network. READ MORE

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PACIFIC: SHARING KNOWLEDGE, LISTENING AND STRENGTHENING PACIFIC VOICES: February/March 2025, Australia. 15 Fellows from the Pacific Islands to participate in a program to increase the impact and influence of Pacific voices calling for more ambitious action on climate change. More information to follow.

UNDERSTANDING GENOCIDE AND THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND INTERNATIONAL LAW: First webinar in a 3-part series in partnership with STARTTS was held featuring Francesca Albanese, SR on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 and Chris Sidoti. WATCH HERE

32nd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste 12-23 August 2024 – at the invitation of President José Ramos-Horta and in partnership with Global Campus of Human Rights, Justice System Monitoring Project and Human Rights Centre, UNTL – AIPP, FORUM-ASIA, PIANGO and MFA. 28 participants from 14 countries across the region. Trainers included UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva. READ MORE

PACIFIC, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK BUILDING: 25-27 June, Suva. In partnership with PIANGO, CCF and OHCHR. 17 Pacific CSOs and experts participated in a consultation workshop to develop a new capacity building strategy on human rights, climate change and business in the Pacific. READ WELCOME REMARKS FROM OHCHR and READ MORE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS - UNDRIP WEBINAR SERIES: DTP, in partnership with Oxfam Australia, launched a new webinar series on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The first webinar focussed on the right to self-determination, featuring Les Malezar and Monica Morgan. WATCH HERE More information to follow on the next webinar.

DTP NETWORKING AND WEBINARS: DTP is planning a series of webinars to continue knowledge building with DTP alumni. Planning is underway for webinars on Deep Sea Mining, and on Human Rights, Digital Rights and Artificial Intelligence. To express interest and/or suggest webinar topics, please contact [email protected]

Child Rights Webinar Series

24 webinars on the Convention on the Rights of the Child are available here. Each webinar features leading child’s rights experts, practitioners and young people exploring the challenges in realising children’s rights in practices.

Alumni Profile

Marina Sultana Kalpona

Marina Sultana Kalpona is an experienced migrant workers’ rights advocate. She is a Program Director at Bangladesh’s prestigious Refugee, Policy and Migratory Research Unit (RMMRU) where they research, educate, campaign and advocate for safer migration practices in Bangladesh and in destination countries.

"The DTP/MFA training provided an in-depth knowledge and a broader understanding of human rights-based approaches... In a nutshell, DTP has been instrumental in preparing me to foster informed debates and drive policy reforms."

DTP Alumni in Action

For information about our alumni, click here. If you want to get in contact with any of DTP's alumni, please contact the office at [email protected].

MYANMAR / INDIA

Tual Sawn Khai shares his article describing how, despite government policy to prevent refugees from Myanmar entering India, Mizoram State welcomed them while Manipur State enforced the refoulement policies of the central government.

Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Judha Nugraha. Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs document/Tempo

INDONESIA / MYANMAR

Tymu Irawan shares news of 107 Indonesians trafficked to Myanmar with 20 of them detained by military authorities with reports that those trafficked forced to work long hours and ill treated.

Young people gathering at lakeside in Myanmar. Credit: ANU

MYANMAR / AUSTRALIA

Hino Samuel Jose shares advice of two university fellowships available at Australian universities for researchers/academics from Myanmar, deadline 22 November.

ASEAN

DTP trainer and alumna Yuyun Wahyuningrum's opinion piece in Jakarta Post “Strengthening ASEAN’s standing on human rights through dialogue” following 6^th ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue in Jakarta, 5 November.

Participants in the Front Justice For Tobias Silak free pulpim at Ruko Blok A. Credit: Dony siep/olemah.com

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Alumnus shares calls by the team at Justice for Tobia Silak for Indonesian authorities and the Papua Police Chief to investigate the shooting by military of civilians Tobias Silak and Naro Dapla in August.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Jane Nabong shared IPMSDL's webinar Living the Legacy: Lessons and Continuing Struggles of Indigenous Peoples Heroes, celebrating the lives of Indigenous Peoples heroes.

WATCH HERE

The Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) Submission to the UN Committee Against Torture. Credit: Asylum Access Thailand/Instagram

THAILAND

Ganyaphak Sutphakde shares The Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) Submission to the UN Committee Against Torture ahead of Thailand's review.

Indigenous Peoples holding signs in a number of languages calling for Yes to Subsidary Body to Article 8J. Credit: IIFB

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT shares the news from COP16 that the Convention on Biological Diversity became the first UN environmental process to establish a dedicated Subsidiary Body on traditional knowledge, creating a direct connection to millions of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth worldwide. READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA joins 54 NGOs in a statement calling on the Cambodian government to uphold freedom of expression, and to end judicial harassment against the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights and Equitable Cambodia READ MORE

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA's Regional Conference on Migration: Advancing Human Rights in a Shifting Migration Landscape, 8-10 December in Bangkok. READ THE DRAFT AGENDA

AIPP delivers statement on the critical need for the recognition, promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights within the ASEAN community at 6th ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue READ THE STATEMENT

News from the Region

Thousands marching against the Land Forces weapons expo at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, 11 September 2024. Credit: X/@vic_socialists

AUSTRALIA In an update to its 2023 Report, CIVICUS exposes continuing assaults on civic space with excessive use of force by police, the criminalisation of protests, and attempts to gag protest through use of the courts READ MORE

INDIA Two hundred CSOs and individuals call for the abolition of the World Bank and IMF and the establishment of new institutions that recognise the interconnectedness of economic, social, environmental, climate and political justice, and the rights of Indigenous peoples READ MORE

SRI LANKA The Asian Network for Free Elections launches International Election Observation Mission for the 2024 Sri Lankan Parliamentary Elections monitoring key aspects of the election process, the misuse of state resources, and the participation of marginalised and vulnerable groups READ MORE

PHILIPPINES ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights expresses concern at the responses of former President Duterte and the Philippines government to the inquiry over the so-called ‘war on drugs’ and calls for cooperation with the ICC on allegations of crimes against humanity READ MORE

BANGLADESH UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for a thorough investigation of all killings and other rights violations during the violent unrest leading up to and after the fall of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina READ MORE

PAKISTAN Clean Clothes Campaign welcomes the decision of Levi's to sign the International Accord on health and safety in the textile and garment industry ensuring that supplier factories of garment brands that sign the agreement are inspected and that identified safety hazards will be remediated READ MORE

UN News and Calls to Contribute

Participants at the 4th Pacific Business and Human Rights Forum. Credit: UN Human Rights Pacific/Facebook

The 4th UN Pacific Forum on Business and Human Rights was held in Suva at the end of October. For two days, panelists spoke on diverse issues such as the right to work, the Pacific fishing industry, digitalization, and extractive industries READ MORE

UPR Info is offering grants to applicants from Kiribati and Laos to attend Pre-sessions in advance of the 49th UPR Working Group in February 2025 APPLY HERE

Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2025 subregional preparatory meetings Pacific: Suva, Fiji, 8-9 October; North and Central Asia: Almaty, Kazakhstan, 9-10 October; East and North-East Asia: Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea, 23-25 October; South-East Asia: Bangkok, Thailand, 11-14 November; South and South-West Asia, New Delhi, India, 12-14 November READ MORE

OHCHR Call for input: ‘‘Accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls in criminal justice detention’’, deadline 13 November READ MORE

UN Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights is calling for input ahead of her country visit to Vanuatu, deadline 18 November READ MORE

OHCHR Call for inputs on the rights of the child and violations of the human rights of children in armed conflicts, deadline 8 January READ MORE

Events and Opportunities

In recognition of World Children's Day this month, the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP) will be hosting four dynamic virtual events featuring innovative global speakers from 18-23 November. REGISTER HERE

Australian Human Rights Commission is accepting expressions of interest from Australian individuals with disability for support to participate in key international human rights forums in 2025, deadline 13 December. READ MORE

Resources

Professor Surya Deva, DTP trainer and UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, has developed a climate justice framework comprising 4 pillars (Mitigation, Adaptation, Remediation, Transformation) and 12 overarching human rights principles to guide climate actions VIEW THE FRAMEWORK

The International Service for Human Rights offers a 30-minute online training course on the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders READ MORE

Asia Pacific Forum on National Human Rights Institutions annual report 2023-2024 has been released READ MORE

2023 Annual Report

DTP's 2023 Annual Report is now available. It showcases DTP's activity throughout the past year as we returned to face-to-face programs.

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We want to hear from you

One of DTP's strengths is you, our alumni and networks. If you have news, opinion pieces, resources or examples of best practice to share, or have questions on human rights, please send them to us at [email protected]. Please stay safe.

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DTP acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation. We recognise their lands were never ceded, and we acknowledge their struggles for recognition and rights and pay our respects to the Elders – past, present – and the youth who are working towards a brighter tomorrow. This continent always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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