In our continuing focus on Digital Rights, Artificial Intelligence and human rights we provide a link to a podcast from thoughtworks with the participation of Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker, a First Nations Nyungar woman working on new technologies, and Tom Sulston, head of policy at Digital Rights Watch. They link digital rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and point to the human rights challenges arising from the privatisation of what should be a set of common goods. LISTEN HERE

In this issue, we profile Bangladeshi alumnus Lelung Khumi, Indigenous rights advocate and Socio-Economic Specialist with TAHZINGDONG, provide information about DTP's programs and upcoming webinars, reports on recent programs and news from alumni, partners and the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement. 

PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH THE SUPPLY CHAIN, 18 September, 2nd WEBINAR IN THE OECD GUIDELINES ON RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT AND THE NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS (NCP) WEBINAR SERIES, featuring speakers John Southalan (Independent Examiner, AusNCP), Laura McManus (Director, Commonwealth Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Office) and DTP alumna Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna. Resources to follow. 

1st webinar: An Introduction to the Australian NCP, featuring speakers Laura Llewellyn (Director, AusNCP), John Southalan (Independent Examiner, AusNCP) and DTP alumnus Pillkyu Hwang. WATCH THE WEBINAR 

WEBINAR SERIES - INDONESIAN WEBINAR ALUMNI SERIES: HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, BUSINESS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: INDONESIA'S FOOD ESTATE IN WEST PAPUA AND ITS IMPACTS, 24 September, 3pm AEST This series of three webinars will highlight the impacts of the rapid expansion of Indonesia’s Food Estates strategy in Merauke, West Papua, Indonesia. It will focus on the threats to Indigenous Peoples rights, biodiversity and the environment. The impacts of deforestation extend beyond Indonesia’s borders, with predictions it will accelerate global climate heating. Concerns have been raised by local communities, national and international NGO’s and UN human rights experts REGISTER HERE

WEBINAR SERIES - HUMAN RIGHTS, DIGITAL RIGHTS AND AI The first two webinars in the series are now available: An Introduction to Governing Digital Rights and Children's Online Rights

WEBINAR SERIES – Ending Impunity for Violators of Human Rights - The Magnitsky Acts and Australia in partnership with STARTTS. WATCH HERE 

HUMAN RIGHTS WEBINAR SERIES - UN Human Rights Accountability Mechanisms in partnership with STARTTS. WATCH HERE

GENOCIDE WEBINAR SERIES - three webinars on Genocide and the Genocide Convention in partnership with STARTTS. WATCH HERE

UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (UNDRIP) WEBINAR SERIES NOW AVAILABLE HERE.

33rd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste, August 25 - September 5, 2025 - 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 with AIPP, FORUM-ASIA, PIANGO and MFA concluded on 5th September. 31 participants from 13 countries. Trainers included President Ramos-Horta, Professor Lucas Lixinski, Mike Hayes, Nelson Santos, Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Arul Prakkash, Fritzie Rodriguez, Joshua Cooper and more. READ MORE

REGIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS EXCHANGE - LEARNING AND TRAINING 2025: Baguio, Philippines, August 15-20. DTP partnered with AIPP and IWGIA for the Asia IPHRD Exchange held in Baguio with local hosts and partners, Katribu and Cordillera Peoples Alliance. The program brought together IPHRDs from 8 countries. Participants shared experiences, changing contexts and strategies. Program content focused on digital security for HRDs, human rights defenders guidelines and engaging with diplomatic missions. This is the third year DTP has partnered with AIPP and IWGIA as AIPP builds its regional IPHRD network. Report to follow.

HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSINESS IN THE PACIFIC: Suva, Fiji, 23-27 June 2025 in partnership with PIANGO, Fiji Council of Social Services and OHCHR-PRO. 25 Pacific human rights and climate change advocates gathered together for the new program focusing on Human Rights, Climate Change and Business in the Pacific. READ MORE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESS: Chiang Mai, Thailand 9-13 June in partnership with Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP). 23 participants from 7 countries, and six DTP alumni returning as trainers. AIPP Secretary General led the session on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Self-Determination. There was a focus on the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct with Serena Lillywhite AM. READ MORE

BREAKING BARRIERS AND BUILDING BELONGING SYMPOSIUM in partnership with CORE Community Services Sydney, 14 March 2025. DTP joined advocates, thought leaders and community members for a day's symposium marking IDERD and the 50th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act to explore the ongoing fight to eradicate racism. READ MORE

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].

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT DTP alumnus Toni Chiran shares joint statement at the opening of 7th UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum, Asia-Pacific with recommendations to business, states, donors, investors, and financial institutions READ THE STATEMENT

PACIFIC ISLANDS ASSOCIATION OF NGOS DTP would like to congratulate DTP alumnus Drew Havea on his election as Board Chair of PIANGO and looks forward to cooperation on human rights and development in the Pacific region.

GLOBAL CAMPUS OF HUMAN RIGHTS Adriano Remiddi shares the report of the DTP 33rd Human Rights and People’s Diplomacy Training held in Timor-Leste co-organised by DTP, GC, the Human Rights Centre at the National University of Timor-Leste and Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP) READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA, CIVICUS and civil society partners from Nepal issue statement condemning killing of protesters, brutal response of security forces to the protests and calls for halt to digital repression READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA launches its new report, “Holding the Line: Community Resistance and Corporate Accountability in Asia – 2024 Report” READ THE REPORT

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA expresses solidarity with the people of Nepal in calling for political reform and democracy including for migrant workers, many of whom die in countries who have recruited their labour READ MORE

Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders calls for input for report “Raising their voices: HRDs respond to the human rights crisis”, deadline 30 September READ MORE

The deadline for stakeholders’ submissions for UPR WG 52 (May 2026) for Palau, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Singapore is 10 October READ MORE

OHCHR call for inputs on good stories, achievements and positive impacts resulting from the work of special procedures and their engagement with various stakeholders at the national, regional, and international levels CONTRIBUTE HERE

Special Procedures: new Newsletter includes reports of SP country visits to Australia, Malaysia and Samoa and advice of forthcoming visit to Nepal READ THE NEWSLETTER 

Video of Kenneth Roth, former Director of Human Rights Watch, explaining how human rights activists can effectively hold abusive governments to account by exposing the falsehoods put out by them, by speaking about and recording the wrongs committed WATCH THE VIDEO

ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN Peoples' Forum (ACSC/APF), online convergence space workshops in September CLICK HERE and in-person 14-15 October, Kuala Lumpur. READ MORE

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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