DTP E-Newsletter 110 - Working Together To Advance Human Rights Since 1989

DTP - BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF ASIA-PACIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS 1990 - 2020

In this issue we highlight actions taken by DTP alumni, partners and others to defend the rights of migrants, future generations and women using the international human rights system, and initiatives from UN agencies and the treaty bodies.

For updated news, advice and human rights related action on COVID-19 pandemic please see the dedicated DTP web page. Please follow DTP’s socials and visit our website.

Best wishes and good luck,

Patrick Earle
Executive Director

Presenter at the 2019 Business, Human Rights and the SDGs in the Pacific, Fiji training program

DTP Business and Human Rights Programs - Call for Applications

DTP has opened applications for two new online programs. Applications for both programs close Friday 18 September.

“Building Back Better” Business, Human Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Pacific with OHCHR ROP in partnership with BHHRC, CCF, PIANGO and UNSW's IGD

Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and Business: A Regional Capacity Building Strengthening Program for Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders in partnership with AIPP

SOLIDARITY IN ACTION FROM DTP ALUMNI

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

Purohit (priest) telling the story of Karam-Gosai during the festival. Photo: Manik Soren

Bangladesh

Khokon Suiten Murmu writes about the Karam Festival as an example of Indigenous cultural events under threat from lack of recognition by the Bangladeshi government, evictions from ancestral lands and the activities of private companies

Indonesia

Four UN Special Human Rights Procedures have written to the Indonesian government to communicate their concerns about human rights in West Papua and the harassment, detentions and intimidation of human rights defenders including Wensislaus Fatubun.

READ THE COMMUNICATION

Alumni Profile: Bernadette "Bernie" Goulding

Bernie is the Founder of Diversity Network Australia and an advisory member on various committees for Pacific Indigenous peoples rights and has over 30 years experience working in in community development in both Fiji and Austraia. Bernie is the author of a book about growing up biracial in white Australia. Colour Outside The Lines: One Girl, Two Tribes highlights the issues and challenges facing people of colour and the need for cultural understanding and support for successful multiculturalism. Since her participation in the DTP program she has produced ‘The Children of the 12 tribes’ – stories from the Pacific islands.

“The DTP program made me realize that it is not necessarily always about me going in to advocate for change, in line with the localisation agenda, I can support local people already working on the ground in their individual communities. It is about working together, in solidarity.”

MFA's Global Compact on Migration webinar series poster

NEWS FROM DTP PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

PHILIPPINES FORUM-ASIA joins 61 NGOs calling on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into extrajudicial executions in the context of the “war on drugs” and other human rights violations committed in the Philippines since 2016. READ THE STATEMENT

MIGRANT WORKERS MFA is co-hosting a 23-part webinar series on the 23 objectives in the Global Compact on Migration READ MORE

FIJI The NGO Coalition on Human Rights, including CCF expresses concern regarding possible impacts of amendments on the Companies Act on civil society and non-profit organisations. READ MORE

Women in Bangladesh stand up for gender equality. Credit: UNICEF/Jannatul Mawa

HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS

UN HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY BODIES to move towards fixed and predictable reviews of States parties similar to the UPR. This will result in regular country reviews independent of States producing their reports, many of which are years overdue. READ MORE

MIGRANT WORKERS The Qatar government has formally abolished the “Kafala” system, the demand of campaigning by human, labour and migrant rights organisations for over a decade. The Kafala system has been associated with forced labour, modern slavery and some of the worst abuses of migrant workers in the Middle East. Migrant workers in Qatar will no longer need the permission of their “sponsor” to change jobs or leave the country – and are being guaranteed a minimum wage. READ MORE including responses from HUMANITY UNITED, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL and ITUC

WOMEN'S RIGHTS 25 years after the landmark Beijing Women’s Conference and Platform of Action, governments are falling short on commitments to equal rights and freedoms. The Executive Director of UN Women provides a road map for what needs to happen to hold governments to account to make the Platform of Action a reality. READ MORE

MIGRANT WOMEN WORKERS IN GULF have highlighted the lack of accessible complaint and redress mechanisms – and have called on their governments and embassies to do more in new report, including visiting employers. POWER POINT

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Rights International's (IPRI) is calling on the Indonesian President to drop all charges against the six indigenous people arrested for defending their customary forest against the expansion of PT Sawit Mandiri Lestari (PT SML), a palm oil company in Kinipan forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. TAKE ACTION

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Rio Tinto apologises and CEO and executives resign amid growing outrage at Rio’s destruction of ancient Australian Indigenous sacred sites and loss to world of cultural heritage. READ MORE

HUMAN RIGHTS, AND RIGHTS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS IN THE PACIFIC are still being impacted by legacy of Nuclear Tests in the Pacific. OHCHR has highlighted concern about Runit Dome in the Marshall Islands’, impacts of radiation and radioactive waste on health, including cancers, sexual and reproductive health and discriminatory impacts on Indigenous communities. READ MORE

RESOURCES

The International Organization for Migration has produced a set of Guidelines for Labour Recruiters on Ethical Recruitment, Decent Work and Access to Remedy for Migrant Domestic Workers VIEW THE GUIDELINES

DTP's 2019 ANNUAL REPORT

Report is out now.

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.

Participants on DTP's 2019 Regional Workshop on Ethical Business and Recruitment Practices, Dubai

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

One of DTP's strengths is you, our alumni and networks. As we see the Covid-19 pandemic spreading and the different responses of government, business and communities, you have never been more important in communicating impacts, and enabling/driving solidarity, action and accountability. If you have news, opinion pieces, resources or examples of best practice to share, or have questions on human rights and Covid-19, please send them to us at [email protected] Please stay safe.

Issue #110 September 2020

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We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation