DTP E-Newsletter 236

The next contribution to our series on the human rights and environmental impacts of corporate and government practices on the seas and oceans in the Asia Pacific region is a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. In her report, “Ocean and Human Rights”, Astrid Puentes Riaño lists eight main challenges for the ocean and human rights, including weak governance and deep-sea mining risks. READ THE REPORT

In this issue we profile DTP alumna Tharushi Fernando from Sri Lanka, provide information about DTP's programs and upcoming webinars, share reports on recent programs and news from alumni, partners and the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

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

Alumni Profile

Tharushi Fernando

DTP alumna Tharushi Fernando is a human rights advocate and an attorney at law at the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka where she focuses her work on public law, minority rights, labour rights, and accountability for human rights violations, including cases related to enforced “disappearances” and torture.

“DTP training was very practical in connecting participants and creating lasting relationships. ... I have also collaborated with DTP’s network on advocacy work related to legal cases in Sri Lanka recently. This network is different from other international networks I know. It is proactive, responsive, and always willing to help.”

READ MORE

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 DTP secretariat at [email protected].

PAKISTAN

Commenting on a decision by the Supreme Court, Waheed Ahmad Choudhary argues the Court must apply the CRC and determine custody according to the best interests and welfare of children, ensuring the child’s voice is heard where appropriate

READ MORE

SRI LANKA

Lucille Abeykoon shares her account of the workshop, “Walking with the Wounded: Post-Cyclone Challenges and Community Recovery” organized by OHCHR for Religious and Priests in Kandy .............................

READ MORE

INDIA/MALAYSIA/MIGRANTS

DTP congratulates advocate Hubertson who has been appointed as a Central Notary Public by the Government of India. Hubertson is a tireless advocate for migrant workers, and shares this press statement on behalf of the family of domestic worker Mrs. Vasuki, trafficked to Malaysia, assaulted, and her passport confiscated by her employer

READ MORE

CAMBODIA

Diana in Malaysia shares an article on the currently topical issue of scam compounds and human trafficking in Cambodia. The 2025 US State Department Report on human trafficking accused the government of failing to make significant efforts to eliminate it, never arresting or prosecuting a suspected scam compound operator or owner

VIEW HERE

INDONESIA

Swandaru Swandaru shares a report from the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, “From visibility to vulnerability: when social media fails human rights defenders”. The report is shared in the context of the recent attack on Andrie Yunus, depty coordinator at the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)... .................. ................ ..................... .................

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NEPAL

DTP would like to congratulate Gita Chaudhary on her appointment as Minister for Agriculture in the new government of Nepal that follows the 2025 youth uprising. Gita's story as an indigenous woman lawyer and advocate is extraordinary. In her DTP interview in 2024, she said "my ultimate goal is to bring the voices of indigenous and marginalised peoples into the corridors of government...".........

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SOLOMON ISLANDS

Edward Haikau Huitarau, Program Manager of Solomon Islands Rangers, shares account of his participation in the capacity building program of the DTP Human Rights, Climate Change and Business in the Pacific recently held in Fiji. Edward gave an inspiring presentation on the work of the Rangers, which includes the environment, climate change, and gender

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

DTP congratulates Jonathan Mesulam on bein gawarded the 2026 Defender of Democracy Award. While he was unable to attend the award ceremony in person, he sent in his acceptance speech. Jonathan's work on the environment and human rights in PNG, supporting communities and challenging deforestation and plantations, has received much recognition.

READ MORE

DTP Training Programs

Current Programs

CAPACITY BUILDING ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE AND THE OECD GUIDELINES

Jakarta, Indonesia, new dates – 8-12 May, 2026 in partnership with INFID. This program is for Indonesian NGOs and human rights and environmental defenders as Indonesia accedes to the OECD and develops its complaints process on Responsible Business Conduct. Applications closed 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. Over 1000 EOIs and over 260 applications received. Applications have closed READ MORE

Recent Programs

2026: HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSINESS IN THE PACIFIC

Suva, Fiji, 23-27 March, 2026 in partnership with PIANGO, FCOSS and OHCHR-PRO. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva, was the lead trainer on the program which included 23 participants from 10 countries, including DTP’s first participants from Palau and Niue. The program was opened by the Honourable Filimoni Vosarogo, Fiji’s Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Regional Pacific Representative of the OHCHR Heike Alefsen, and Emeline Siale Ilolahia, Executive Director of PIANGO. READ MORE

2025: HUMAN RIGHTS DAY WORKSHOP ON ENGAGING WITH UN ANTI-TORTURE MECHANISMS

Sydney, Australia, 10 December, in partnership with STARTTS and the Whitlam Institute. Nineteen refugee and migrant community leaders participated in a capacity-building workshop lead by Steven Caruana on Human Rights day. Report to follow.

2025: PACIFIC VOICES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Australia - 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 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.

2025: BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING

2025: 33rd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLING PROGRAMMES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

See program highlights short video VIEW HERE

2025: REGIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS EXCHANGE - LEARNING AND TRAINING 2025

DTP Webinars

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER (HRD) GUIDELINES: A DTP AND FRONT LINE DEFENDERS WEBINAR SERIES

Watch Webinar 1: What are the HRD Guidelines?

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: THE OECD GUIDELINES ON RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT AND THE NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS (NCP) WEBINAR SERIES

Watch Webinar 1: Introduction to the Australian NCP

Watch Webinar 2: Promoting Human Rights through the Supply Chain

Watch Webinar 3: Free, Prior and Informed Consent

INDONESIAN ALUMNI WEBINAR SERIES: HUMAN RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, BUSINESS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: INDONESIA'S FOOD ESTATE IN WEST PAPUA AND ITS IMPACTS

Watch Webinar 1: Community Impacts of the Food Estate

Watch Webinar 2: Impacts on Community and Climate

Watch Webinar 3: Merauke and Indonesia's Climate Bomb

WEBINAR SERIES - HUMAN RIGHTS, DIGITAL RIGHTS AND AI An Introduction to Governing Digital Rights and C hildren'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.

Partner News

SINGAPORE FORUM-ASIA statement on the use of the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act to silence media critical of the government READ MORE

MALAYSIA BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE notes that the Gig Workers Act came into force on 1 April, detailing workers’ rights related to contracts, transparency, anti-discrimination protections and social security coverage READ MORE

AUSTRALIA BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE shares link to article exposing human rights abuses of migrant workers, including unpaid wages, threats of visa cancellations and modern slavery READ MORE

News from the Region

Photo of 2026 Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections and Referendum Interim Report

BANGLADESH International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation condemns the ongoing, illegal forced eviction of Garo Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands in the Madhupur Sal Forest in Tangail District READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE Commitments made at the Regional Symposium “Advisory Opinion to Action: Advancing Human Rights and Climate Justice” included ensuring protection for environmental human rights defenders, lawyers, and affected communities, recognizing their essential role in advancing climate justice READ THE STATEMENT

INDIA South Asians for Human Rights condemn the abduction, illegal detention, and custodial torture of 7 male activists and 3 female students by a special cell of the police, in a campaign against members of the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization READ MORE

MYANMAR/INDONESIA CSOs bring complaint of genocide of the Rohingya peoples against newly-elected president Min Aung Hlaing, under new Indonesian penal law allowing for universal jurisdiction in cases involving serious international crimes READ MORE

UN Calls to Contribute

UN Human Rights Committee evaluates responses to its decisions on individual complaints by the governments of Australia, Maldives and Nepal READ MORE

OHCHR Calls for input: North-South, South-South, triangular cooperation and human rights, including the right to development, deadline 18 May READ MORE

Resources and Events

ISHR publishes interactive tools on strengthening the protection of human rights defenders, “Diplomatic Guidelines on the Protection of HRDs” for human rights defenders, and for diplomats READ MORE HERE and HERE

ISHR updated practical guide for civil society and human rights defenders for engaging with UN Special Procedures READ MORE

Funding Opportunities

The Lighthouse Global Protection Fund delivers emergency assistance to human rights defenders and civil society organisations operating in high-risk environments worldwide. Grants are available to eligible groups READ MORE

Please donate

DTP relies on donations to provide quality training to human rights defenders so that they can promote and protect human rights effectively in their societies. Please help if you can and donate here. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

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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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