The next contribution to our series on the human rights and environmental impacts of corporate and government practices on the seas and oceans is a statement from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources on the impacts of deep-sea mining on human rights. It encourages the International Seabed Authority to adopt policies on the rights to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, the right to benefit from scientific progress, and Indigenous rights, including the protection of cultural heritage.  READ MORE

In this issue, we profile DTP alumna Asma Abbasi, 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. 

DTP 2025 Annual Report

DTP’s 2025 Annual Report is available here.  In 2025, DTP provided training to 186 human rights defenders across eight programs in Asia and the Pacific.  We know from our alumni the value of this training, and we see it in their work over decades.

Appointment of Anselmo Lee as South Korea's Human Rights Ambassador

DTP congratulates alumnus Anselmo Lee on becoming South Korea’s first Human Rights Ambassador. It continues a lifetime’s work for human rights.  

Donate to the Diplomacy Training Program

We are appealing now for your support to help us fund the training of more human rights defenders - it is an important investment in them, human rights, democracy and peace. Please donate here.

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].

2026: BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, THE OECD GUIDELINES, AND NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS

Jakarta, Indonesia, 8-12 May 2026: Held in partnership with INFID and the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. Twenty-six participants from across Indonesia gathered in Jakarta to share experiences of business impacts on human rights and the environment, with a focus on the potential of the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct to bring critical change and accountability. READ MORE

2026: SPECIAL ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON CHILD RIGHTS AND DIGITAL RIGHTS, WITH DR VICTOR KARUNAN

DTP was pleased to host eminent human rights activist Victor Karunan in late April. Victor shared with us “The Youth Charter: Advancing the 2030 Global Development Agenda”, the outcome of a meeting of more than 170 young delegates representing over 45 countries convened in Malaysia for the Future Action Summit in November.  READ MORE

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 hosted 23 participants from 10 countries, including DTP's first-ever 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. See report and evaluation here.

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

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 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.

The Business and Human Rights Centre shares account of the Congress Party’s criticism of the four new labour laws drafted and implemented without any consultation, and designed to undermine workers’ rights and trade union participation READ MORE

FORUM ASIA In recognition of the recent International Day against Homophobia, Biophobia, Interphobia and Transphobia, FORUM-ASIA joined the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus and Asia Democracy Network in a statement reaffirming support for LGBTQIAN+ activism and pointing to its essential role in the defence of democracy READ MORE

Migrant Forum in Asia and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development called for contributions from migrant workers, CSOs, trade unions, and other stakeholders for a special virtual consultation to inform the SR’s thematic reports on “Participation in Development” and “Peace for Development”

OHCHR Call for contributions to an analytical study on protection gaps in access to medicines, vaccines and other health products, deadline 16 June READ MORE

OHCHR and the University of Peace invite registrations for an E-learning course, “Mainstreaming the Right to Development in Voluntary National Review Reporting”, application deadline 8 August APPLY HERE

The University of Peace invites registrations for an E-learning course “Operationalizing the Right to Development in Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals”, application deadline 11 July APPLY HERE

The theme of the UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum for Asia-Pacific this year is Building Resilience, Advancing Rights and will be held in person in Bangkok 15-17 September as well as live streamed READ MORE

DTP and STARTTS are calling for expressions of interest from refugee and migrant community leaders to participate in a half-day training program on child rights at NSW Parliament House on 26 June 2026.  This program is designed to strengthen understanding of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and explore practical applications of child rights frameworks across law, policy, health, education, and refugee services DETAILS TO FOLLOW

STARTTS, in collaboration with the Whitlam Institute, is hosting the CiCT Forum 2026: Beyond Resilience at Western Sydney University. The forum will explore how global conflicts, displacement, and migration shape communities in Australia and how collective solutions can strengthen social cohesion CLICK HERE

B&HR ACCESS TO JUSTICE LAB is co-hosting a webinar on HRDD laws in Asia along with Universitas Airlangga and The Business and Human Rights Law and Policy Journal.  Guest speakers include DTP alumna Dr Indriaswati Saptaningrum, who will discuss proposed Indonesian laws on human rights due diligence. Monday, 25 May 2026 at 3:00pm CLICK HERE

SYDNEY SOUTHEAST ASIA CENTRE is hosting a two-part event featuring a public lecture with Saurlin Siagian, of Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission, on Indigenous land rights and environmental justice, followed by a networking lunch for researchers and academics working on Indonesia CLICK HERE

BRAZILIAN INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS, with the support of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, has published “UPR: A Practical Guide for Civil Society Coalitions to Engage in Implementation Mechanisms”, a practical tool for national coalitions working within the UPR mechanism READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION: “Collective Voices: Back to Basics” is a series of podcasts of around 20 minutes each, on international labour standards and workers’ rights READ MORE  

KomnasHAM has launched Standard Norms and Regulations (SNP) Number 15 concerning the Protection of Indigenous Peoples' Rights. This instrument can serve as a reference for stakeholders in respecting and fulfilling the rights of indigenous peoples READ MORE (in Indonesian)

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

Tifa invites applications from civil society organisations, grassroots groups, and informal collectives from East and Southeast Asia for the Re-D Fund.  The fund provides microgrants to civil society groups using digital technologies to expand civic participation, advance rights-based reforms, and strengthen organisational resilience in the digital era. Deadline 5 June 2026 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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