DTP - BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF ASIA-PACIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS 1990 - 2023

This issue of the DTP eNews has information on DTP’s programs and activities, news of DTP alumni and partners. DTP’s 30th Annual Human Rights and Peoples' Diplomacy Training Program was closed in Bangkok by DTP Advisory Committee Member, Somchai Homlaor. There was a focus on the 75th Anniversary of the UDHR and the 30th Anniversary of the Bangkok NGO Declaration, closing civil society space in the region, and on the human rights crisis and conflict in Myanmar. There is a profile of DTP trainer, Professor Ryszard Cholewinksi and migrant rights advocate, Bijaya Shrestra.

Photo of Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn presenting keynote at the 30th Annual Program. Credit: DTP

DTP PROGRAMS

30TH ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLE'S DIPLOMACY PROGRAM: Program with 29 participants from 13 countries included field visits to UNESCAP, reception with Australian Ambassador and solidarity event for human rights in Myanmar. It opened in Bangkok, Thailand with keynote by DTP Advisory Council Member Professor Vitit Muntabhorn and closed with Somchai Homlaor. Held in partnership with Forum-Asia, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Migrant Forum in Asia, Pacific Islands Association of NGOs, Mahidol University, HRDF and SHAPE-SEA.

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD WEBINAR: “The Convention on the Rights of the Child: Hearing and Listening to the Voice of Children and Young People” recording is available WATCH HERE

2 YEARS OF ATROCITY UNDER MILITARY JUNTA IN MYANMAR: A Failure of ASEAN and International Community?: DTP co-hosts leading advocates speak out and call for action at a solidarity event for the people of Myanmar WATCH HERE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS IN AUSTRALIA: Strategy Roundtable with Indigenous Law Centre, Nura Gili and Oxfam Australia with DTP & Oxfam alumni and others – February 9th, Sydney.

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR MIGRANT AND REFUGEE DIASPORA COMMUNITY LEADERS IN NSW/AUSTRALIA: Feb 11th - 12th in partnership with STARTTS for 30 migrant and refugee community leaders.

AUSTRALIAN RIGHTS OF THE CHILD WORKSHOPS: Sydney 28 February-1 March. Applications close 14 February FIND OUT MORE Perth 30-31 March. Applications close 16 March FIND OUT MORE

ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WORKSHOP - FIJI: Rescheduled 28-30 March. Over 70 applications received for 3 day workshop for Pacific EHRDs to strengthen capacity to hold governments and businesses accountable for human rights violations - in partnership with OHCHR Regional Office, the Pacific Human Rights Defenders Network, and the Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights. ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS TOOLKIT AVAILABLE HERE

MYANMAR DIASPORA HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY IN ASEAN: This program will bring members of the Myanmar diaspora community together with others to build capacity to engage more effectively with international human rights mechanisms, ASEAN, the media, and others to address the growing human rights crisis in Myanmar. Rescheduled to 27-31 March 2023, Bangkok, Thailand. Applications close 14 February FIND OUT MORE

Photo of Ryszard Cholewinski. Credit: Ryszard Cholewinski

TRAINER PROFILE: PROFESSOR RYSZARD CHOLEWINSKI

Ryszard is a Senior Migration Specialist in the International Labour Organization (ILO) Regional Office for Arab States in Beirut. He oversees research, programming and projects around the themes of the protection of migrant workers and labour migration governance.

"I found DTP training very useful, mainly because DTP managed to get various relevant stakeholders in training venues... It is valuable to conduct training targeting a broad range of stakeholders, particularly in Gulf countries where there are limitations, including a lack of interactions between civil society and government."

READ MORE

ALUMNI PROFILE: BIJAYA KUMARI RAI SHRESTHA

Bijaya is the Founder and Executive Director of Aaprabasi Mahila Kamdar Samuha (AMKAS) in Nepal. She established AMKAS to build the capacity and knowledge of female migrant workers – so they could better claim and defend their rights – and to advocate for changes in policy.

"If I had not had DTP training, I would not know how to communicate, how to write and how to have meetings with the international actors as easily as I can do now. The training was also a great space for networking. Through that training, I have built a strong network with advocates of other countries, community organizations and UN organizations.”

READ MORE
Photo of Bijaya Kumari Rai Shrestha. Credit: Bijaya Kumari Rai Shrestha

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]

Photo of demonstration calling for the release of Victor F Yeimo outside Jayapura District Court office. Credit: YouTube

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Alumni join calls to immediately release Victor F Yeimo in demonstration outside Jayapura District Court office.

WATCH HERE
Photo of Adrian Pereira. Credit: MK News

MALAYSIA

Adrian Pereira condemns proposal to allow employers of migrant workers six months to comply with labour laws

READ MORE
Photo of Binota Moy Dhamai. Credit: Binota Moy Dhamai

BANGLADESH

Binota Moy Dhamai, Chair of EMRIP, will deliver the keynote address at the Pax Romana project, “Capacity building of Tertiary students to be critical and analytical educators and advocates for environmental, social, economical and cultural justice".

Photo of Ravi Tissera. Credit: Ravi Tissera

SRI LANKA

Ravi Tissera, current International President of International Movement of Catholic Students will be establishing and leading the "Pax Romana Centennial Centre” in Switzerland.

Photo of the Malaysian Court of Appeal. Credit: FreeMalaysiaToday

MALAYSIA

Dewi Kholifah Hamzah shares that 48 Indian nationals to get unpaid wages after landmark Court of Appeal decision.

READ MORE
When the villages of Kiwi and Kiwirok - in Pegunungan Bintang Regency, near the PNG border - were attacked by helicopters and mortar fire from the Indonesian Army and Special Forces, many houses and building were destroyed or damaged and the inhabitants fled into the surrounding jungle for safety. Alut Bakon is one of the jungle areas where Internally Displaced People have taken refuge. There is no education and no health service and there is no access for humanitarian organisations or support. Photo: Photo supplied

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Alumni share Human Rights Report that thousands upon thousands of displaced people lack basic life-giving services.

READ MORE
Photo of Pranom (Bee) Somwong training at DTP's 30th Annual Program. Credit: DTP

THAILAND

Pranom (Bee) Somwong provided training for human rights defenders at the 30th Annual Human Rights and Peoples' Diplomacy training program in Bangkok.

DTP's Executive Director Patrick Earle and Communications and Office Coordinator Clare Sidoti with Sutharee Wannasiri at the Australian Embassy. Credit: DTP

THAILAND

Sutharee Wannasiri joined DTP participants of the 30th Annual Human Rights and Peoples' training program at a reception at the Australian Embassy

William Gois (MFA), Debbie Stoddart AltASEAN) and Boonthan Verawongse (HRDF) joined Ed Legaspi to reflect on the impact of the 1993 Bangkok NGO Declaration on Human Rights. Credit: DTP

PARTNER NEWS

At DTP’s 30th Annual Training Program, William Gois (MFA), Debbie Stothard (AltASEAN) and Boonthan Verawongse (HRDF) joined Ed Legaspi to reflect on the impact of the 1993 Bangkok NGO Declaration on Human Rights.

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT and DTP made a submission to the Australian Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade inquiry into matters related to supporting democracy in the Asia/Pacific region READ SUBMISSION HERE

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA is calling for contributions that can be brought to the CP TAWG meeting on March, particularly on challenges and recommendations on pre-deployment orientation and empowerment, deadline 20 February. Email [email protected] for contributions

FORUM-ASIA adopted their 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, built upon its foundational pillars that human rights are not Western or Asian but universal. READ MORE

This photo taken and released by Vietnam News Agency on June 6, 2019 shows environmental activist Nguyen Ngoc Anh [center] standing in a courtroom during his trial in southern Vietnam's Ben Tre province. Credit: AFP

NEWS FROM THE REGION

VIETNAM UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions calls on the Vietnamese government to immediately release environmental activist Nguyen Ngoc Anh READ MORE

MYANMAR Australia imposes sanctions on leaders of Myanmar's military junta READ MORE

BANGLADESH Raghunath Kha, human rights defender and journalist, detained on his return from investigating a land rights issue in the Khalishakhali area of Satkhira district TAKE ACTION

PHILIPPINES HRW calls on President Marcos Jr to issue clear directives to all government officials to stop designating Indigenous leaders and environmental activists as fighters or supporters of the communist insurgency (red tagging), thus putting their lives at risk READ MORE

CAMBODIA Proposed law removes reference to the public participation of Indigenous and ethnic minority communities in articles related to the conservation of protected areas READ MORE

PHILIPPINES Court acquits 10 leading human rights and environmental defenders accused of perjury READ MORE

MYANMAR UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: “SAC military coup was illegal and its claim as Myanmar’s government is illegitimate and a new, coordinated international response to the crisis is imperative” READ MORE

THAILAND The health of detained students Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phupong on hunger strike in protest against lese-majesty laws is deteriorating rapidly READ MORE

World flags at the UN. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

UN NEWS AND CALLS TO CONTRIBUTE

Call for inputs by children on the rights of the child and inclusive social protection, deadline 27 February READ MORE

Call for input for report on how to expand and diversify regularization mechanisms and programs to enhance the protection of the human rights of migrants, deadline 15 February READ MORE

CALLS FOR ACTION

Global consultation on updates to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Have your say on the future direction of the world’s leading standard for responsible business conduct READ MORE

JOBS/FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Center for Economic and Social Rights seeks a Director of Programs, deadline 12 February 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. 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.

Issue #166 February 2023

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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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