DTP Advisory Council Member, trainer and former Board Member, Pat Walsh passed away in December. His dedication and commitment to the realisation of human rights was legendary. His work on behalf of human rights in Timor-Leste and Indonesia was recognised with Timorese and Australian awards, and his many friends in the region are mourning his passing. DTP pays tribute to him HERE. Here is one of the many tributes to him from INFID in Indonesia. READ MORE He leaves a rich legacy. 

In this first issue for 2026, we profile Cambodian DTP alumnus Mory Sar, now Program Coordinator with DanChurchAid, we provide information about DTP's programs and recent webinars, share reports on recent programs and news from alumni, partners and the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement. 

HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSINESS IN THE PACIFIC:  Suva, Fiji, 23-27 March, 2026 in partnership with PIANGO, FCOSS and OHCHR-PRO. Applications are now open for a Pacific regional civil society capacity building program. Trainers on the program will include Professor Surya Deva, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development. Applications close 16 February READ MORE

CAPACITY BUILDING ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE AND THE OECD GUIDELINES: Bogor/Jakarta, Indonesia, 13-17 April, 2026 in partnership with INFID. Applications are now open for this capacity building training program targeted to Indonesian NGOs and human rights and environmental defenders. Applications close 1 March. READ MORE

34th ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste, August 23 - September 6, 2026 - 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. Applications close 31 March READ MORE

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY WORKSHOP ON ENGAGING WITH UN ANTI-TORTURE MECHANISMS: Sydney, Australia, 10 December, in partnership with STARTTS and the Whitlam Institute. 19 community leaders and members of diaspora communities participated in a capacity building workshop lead by Steven Caruana on Human Rights day. Report to follow. 

PACIFIC VOICES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE: Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, November 12 - December 3, 2025 in partnership with PIANGO. 15 climate advocates from seven Pacific countries participated in this intense knowledge exchange and capacity building program. They met with with academics, climate experts, parliamentarians, government officials and civil society. Australia's Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP was special guest speaker at the Closing Reception hosted by DTP’s Chair, Michael do Rozario at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. The program was funded by DFAT’s Australia Awards Fellowships Program. WATCH DEBRIEF VIDEO FROM VANUATU FELLOWS and READ DRAFT REPORT HERE.

BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING: Bangkok, Thailand, November 4, 2025. DTP ran a workshop that attracted over 50 participants as part of the International Civil Society Week/Asia Democracy Assembly/Asia-Pacific Social Forum in Bangkok. DTP alumni were well represented in these regional forums, as participants and panelists. Workshop report to follow. DTP is planning a regional workshop on this theme with partners/alumni and experts for Bangkok in May/June. More to come.

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. READ THE PROGRAM REPORT See nice short video about DTP's Annual Program in Timor-Leste VIEW HERE

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 DEFENDER (HRD) GUIDELINES: A DTP AND FRONT LINE DEFENDERS WEBINAR SERIES - WEBINAR 1: WHAT ARE HRD GUIDELINES?, The first webinar features Domenica Bumma (European External Action Service) and DTP alumnus Sayeed Ahmad (FLD). WATCH THE WEBINAR

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: THE OECD GUIDELINES ON RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT AND THE NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS (NCP) WEBINAR SERIES The 3rd webinar focused on companies responsibility to respect Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the role of the Australian NCP, featuring speakers John Southalan (Independent Examiner, AusNCP), and DTP alumni Frederic Wilson (AIPP) and Abbey Shillingford (Genesis Minerals). WATCH THE WEBINAR

2nd OECD webinar: Promoting Human Rights through the Supply Chain, featuring speakers John Southalan, Laura McManus (Director, Commonwealth Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Office) and DTP alumna Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna. WATCH THE WEBINAR

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

INDONESIAN ALUMNI WEBINAR SERIES: HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, BUSINESS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: INDONESIA'S FOOD ESTATE IN WEST PAPUA AND ITS IMPACTS This series of three webinars highlights the impacts of Indonesia’s Food Estates in Merauke, West Papua, Indonesia.

1st webinar: Food Estate in West Papua and the Impact on the Community, featured Laksmi A. Savitri, Ph.D and Dr. Budi Hernawan and was moderated by alumnus Eko Waluyo WATCH THE WEBINAR

2nd webinar: Indonesia’s Food Estate in West Papua: Impacts on the Communities and Climate, featured Dorthea Wabiser (Pusaka) and Grant Rosoman (Greenpeace International) and was moderated by alumnus Eko Waluyo WATCH THE WEBINAR

WEBINAR SERIES - HUMAN RIGHTS, DIGITAL RIGHTS AND AI 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.

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].

PACIFIC ISLANDS ASSOCIATION OF NGOS share their press release welcoming the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty, formally known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions, a result of Pacific Islands campaigning with 83 nations, including that major maritime powers like China and Japan have committed to the framework READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA shares their statement on Indonesia's appointment as President of the UN Human Rights Council, calling on Indonesia to address its own record of human rights abuses READ MORE

UN TREATY BODIES statistical analysis of activities in 2025 READ MORE

Human Rights Council’s Annual full day meeting on the rights of the child: 2026 theme on the rights of the child and the human rights violations of children in armed conflict. Geneva 9 March WATCH HERE

OHCHR calls for input for the preparation of the report of the UN Secretary-General on “A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”, deadline 30 April READ MORE

DTP Trainer Matthew Coghlan shares information about Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Rights Conference 30-31 March.

Human Rights Watch is releasing its World Report 2026 at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok on 5 February at 10:30 Bangkok time. To attend online REGISTER HERE

The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has produced a guide, “Building Understanding: A Guide to Talking About Migrant Rights in Aotearoa” outlining how to — and how not to — discuss migrant workers in ways that uphold human rights READ THE GUIDE

Accountability Counsel, BankTrack, and OECD Watch Building Power & Seeking Remedy: Introducing Complaint Mechanisms, Strategies, & Tools to Stop Harmful Projects & Seek Remedy workshop, featuring DTP trainer Lani Inverarity. February 25, 2026, 6:00–7:30 UTC. REGISTER HERE 

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture 2027 call for applications, deadline for submission of applications is 1st March 2026 READ MORE

The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery 2027 call for applications, deadline for submission of applications is 1st March 2026 READ MORE

OHCHR Call for Applications to the Special Fund of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, deadline 1 March (eligible nationality includes Australia, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand) 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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