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DTP - BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF ASIA-PACIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS 1990 - 2022

Welcome to this issue of DTP’s eNews, which continues our new series of profiling DTP’s trainers. This issue we profile Professor Virginia Dandan, a valued trainer with DTP for nearly 20 years. We continue our profiles of DTP alumni with Sujauddin Karimuddin, a Rohingya refugee, who participated in DTP’s 2007 Burma Diaspora program.

Alumni news carries items on NZ Foreign Minister, Nanai Mahuta who addressed the UN Human Rights Council, and the news that a Myanmar alumna has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for opposing the military coup there. We will seek further information to share. There is news of new DTP programs, a new position at DTP and new resources for human rights. 

DTP PROGRAMS

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: The recording of the first webinar of the year Advancing Children's Rights via the UN Reporting Mechanism - The Role of the UN and Children's Commissioners is now available  WATCH HERE The next webinar Refugee and Asylum-seeking Children: Australia’s Obligations under International Law is on 5th May 4pm AEST. Registration information to follow.

DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS: Applications are open for a new DTP program building capacity to reach out to diplomats for support for human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples (in partnership with AIPP). The program will run May-June 2022. Applications close 25 April FIND OUT MORE

ADVOCACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN MYANMAR A CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE DIASPORA: READ THE PROGRAM SUMMARY The program continues with specialist session and Phase II will begin in June. READ MORE on the MYANMAR HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS HERE

COMING SOON: New capacity building program on submitting cases to the UN Human Rights Special Procedures – with PIANGO, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights and OHCHR-ROP. Details to follow.

INDONESIA HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERSHIP TO INFLUENCE POLICY: Held with 25 Indonesian human rights advocates from CSOs and NHRIs READ THE SUMMARY REPORT

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

DTP is seeking a Child Rights Program Officer to provide support for our child rights programs in Australia and internationally, deadline 22 April READ MORE

Photo of Virginia Dandan. Credit: DTP

DTP TRAINER PROFILE: VIRGINIA DANDAN

Professor Dandan is a much loved and valued DTP trainer. She has been sharing her knowledge and expertise through DTP’s courses for nearly 20 years, providing guidance and encouragement to human rights defenders. Former Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and UN Independent Expert on International Solidarity, Professor Dandan is one of the regions leading human rights experts and practitioners.

“The DTP training program has been one of the most consistent and sustainable that I have participated in… it makes a truly long-lasting impact on the participants.”

READ MORE

DTP ALUMNI IN ACTION

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]

DTP ALUMNI PROFILE: SUJAUDDIN KARIMUDDIN

Sujauddin Karimuddin is a Myanmar Rohingya advocate and refugee who arrived in Australia in 2005. He is a community leader and advocate for Rohingya communities in Australia and Malaysia. Sujauddin works with other diaspora advocates from Myanmar to support human rights and democracy in Myanmar and with DTP’s 2021/2 Myanmar Diaspora Human Rights Advocacy Program.

"Everything I do today is linked to the DTP training... DTP offered me the opportunity of learning and I utilized that opportunity.”

READ MORE
Photo of Sujauddin Karimuddin. Credit: Sujauddin Karimuddin
Honourable Datuk Seri Saravanan, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia and Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organization depositing Malaysia's instrument of ratification of the Protocol Credit: ILO

MALAYSIA

Adrian Pereira shares news that Engineering firm Gamuda will increase the minimum wage for migrant workers READ MORE

And that Malaysia has ratified the Protocol to the ILO Forced Labour Convention committing Malaysia to combat forced labour, sanction perpetrators, and protect victims

READ MORE
Photo of Nalvin Dhillon. Credit: Nalvin Dhillon

MALAYSIA

DTP alumni in Malaysia have been campaigning hard on issues of statelessness and to end discrimination against Malaysian children with a non-Malaysian parent. Advocates have welcomed as a victory the decision of the High Court to recognise the Malaysian citizenship of Nalvin Dhillon.  Shared by Selvaraja Chinniah

READ MORE
Nanaia Mahuta speaking at the UN. Credit: UN Media

NEW ZEALAND

DTP alumna and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister the Hon Nanaia Mahuta, calls for action not words in defence of human rights in speech to UN Human Rights Counci

READ MORE
Photo of Sutharee Wannasiri. Credit: Fortify Rights

THAILAND

NGO calls for the dropping of all defamation cases against HRDs following the dismissal of case against DTP alumna Sutharee Wannasiri and Nan Win

READ MORE
Group photo of 2017 Annual Program. Credit: Aung Myint Thu

MYANMAR

DTP alumnus Aung Myint Thu shares that 2017 DTP alumna Ya Min Phway, General Secretary of TLCA has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for opposition to the coup.

People's Migration Challenge: People's Road to the IMRF Credit: MFA

PARTNER NEWS

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA People's Migration Challenge: People's Road to the IMRF, Round 4, 13 April 3:30PM - 5PM CEST. REGISTER HERE

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA People's Forum, the People's Migration Challenge Parallel Event to the IMRF, 17-20 May READ MORE

Thailand protest. Credit: Fortify Rights

NEWS FROM THE REGION

THAILAND Fortify Rights calls on government to drop NGO law that would violate fundamental freedoms guaranteed under international human rights law READ MORE

BANGLADESH Bangladesh ratifies the ILO’s minimum age convention 138, setting 14 years as minimum age for employment READ MORE

INDIA Ongoing arbitrary detention of prominent Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez READ MORE

AUSTRALIA NGOs call for new Magnitsky Act to be used for first time on visiting Sri Lankan General Jagath Jayasuriya for his role in atrocities in Sri Lanka READ MORE

CAMBODIA Cambodia slammed in the Concluding Observations of the UN Human Rights Committee in response to the government’s 3rd report on the situation of civil and political rights READ MORE

AUSTRALIA DTP Board member Justine Nolan, Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute comments on concerns raised about the independence of the Australian Human Rights Commission from global watchdog LISTEN HERE

2022 UN session. Credit: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Indigenous Peoples website

UN NEWS

Ian Fry appointed as first UN Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights READ MORE

Pichamon Yeophantong appointed new member from Asia-Pacific States to UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights READ MORE

The theme of the 25 April-6 May UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is “Indigenous peoples, business, autonomy and the human rights principles of due diligence including free, prior and informed consent” READ MORE

The UN General Assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, with a two-thirds majority of those voting, minus abstentions READ MORE

RESOURCES

ISHR Video summarises the UPR process and the involvement of civil society WATCH THE VIDEO

Guide for Third-Party Interventions before UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies READ MORE

ILGA Updated fact sheets outlines inclusion of LGBTI rights in the UN Special Procedures READ MORE

Photo of Trainer Virginia Dandan and participant from 2019 Annual Program

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 #146 April 2022

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

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