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

2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Bangkok NGO Declaration of Human Rights. We share a link to the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk’s opening address to the UN Human Rights Council (with links to UDHR 75th Anniversary Campaign). In it he states that to avoid a retrograde step in human rights, it is critical that we rekindle the spirit, the impulse and the vitality that led to the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75 years ago READ MORE

Next week marks International Women’s Day and we profile the work of DTP alumna Fitria Sumarni, a courageous woman defending the rights of religious minorities in Indonesia. We also profile DTP trainer, Ruki Fernando from Sri Lanka. There is news of programs, a call for applications for DTP's Administration and Office Coordinator, news from alumni, updates from the region, and calls for input.

DTP PROGRAMS

AUSTRALIAN RIGHTS OF THE CHILD WORKSHOPS: DTP is seeking participants for its next CRC workshop in Perth 30-31 March. Applications close 16 March FIND OUT MORE Dr Noam Peleg, James McDougall, Matthew Keeley and Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Natalie Lewis led rich discussions at the CRC workshop in Sydney 28 February-1 March. READ MORE

ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WORKSHOP - FIJI: Rescheduled 28-30 March. Over 70 applications received for 3 day workshop for Pacific EHRDs 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. FIND OUT MORE

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION: in partnership with Migrant Forum in Asia. May 8-12, Sri Lanka. Applications clsoe 24th March. FIND OUT MORE

31st ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM - TIMOR-LESTE: Our Annual Program in partnership with Forum-Asia, PIANGO, Migrant Forum in Asia, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, and local partners JSMP and UNTL Human Rights Centre, returns to Timor-Leste. 21 August - 1 September, 2023. Applications close 17th March. FIND OUT MORE

Photo of Ruki Fernando receiving certificate from a participant. Credit: DTP

TRAINER PROFILE: RUKI FERNANDO

Ruki is a experienced Sri Lankan human rights activist, writer, and human rights trainer, with lived experience of engaging the UN system in defence of human rights, and of building human rights movements in Sri Lanka and Asia.

"DTP facilitates solidarity and networking among human rights defenders in the Asia Pacific... DTP has played a significant role in forging these relationships across the borders of the nation-states."

READ MORE

ALUMNI PROFILE: FITRIA SUMARNI

Fitria is a lawyer and President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Lawyers Association (AMLA) in Indonesia. Since her participation in the DTP course she has engaged with the UN in Geneva as part of her advocacy to stop discrimination towards religious minorities in Indonesia.

"DTP’s training empowered and strengthened me and connected me with other human rights defenders in Indonesia and Australia. The materials on regional and United Nations human rights mechanisms benefited me and motivated me to be directly involved in these mechanisms.”

READ MORE
Photo of Fitria Sumarni. Credit: Fitria Sumarni

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 Emmanuel Peni. Credit: BHRRC

DTP VISIT WITH ALUMNUS EMMANUEL "MANU" PENI

DTP hosted a special lunch in Sydney on Monday 27th February with DTP alumnus and PNG advocate, Emmanuel Penu. DTP supporters, Board members and staff met with Manu to learn more of his work and the Save the Sepik campaign. Reflecting on his DTP training, Manu spoke of his initial reluctance to attend due to frustrations with the UN but that in hindsight it was a very wise decision, given the knowledge he gained and the networks he built. The training not only provided valuable connections among advocates across the region but has impacted positively on Save the Sepik's work and strategy. Manu will be a DTP trainer at the Pacific EHRDs Workshop in March to share his experience of engaging UN Special Procedures – and his campaign has made a complaint under the OECD Guidelines on MNEs.

TAKE ACTION
A group of young Malaysian mothers and representatives of Family Frontiers outside the national registration department in June last year. Credit: freeMalaysiatoday

MALAYSIA

Liva Sreedharan shares news that the Constitution is to be amended to enable automatic Malaysian citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers. Bina Ramanand thanked all those involved in this advocacy and points out that this change will need a 2/3 majority in both houses and gain the consent of the Conference of Rulers.

READ MORE
Photo of Lohan Ratwatte speaking. Credit: The Morning

SRI LANKA

Tharindu Jayawardhana shares that the Sri Lankan Justice Ministry has not complied with the Right to Information Commission's order to release the report on alleged 2021 incidents involving then-State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and incumbent State Minister of Plantation Industries Lohan Ratwatte.

READ MORE
PIANGO members with members of the United Liberations Movement for West Papua campaign at a recent meeting in Fiji. Credit: PIANGO

PARTNER NEWS

PIANGO Media statement shares PIANGO’s work in support of self-determination and voice in West Papua and hopes for more advocacy and action on this conflict following meeting of delegation with newly elected Fiji PM Sitiveni Rabuka READ MORE

HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (HRDF) IOM highlights the important work of Thailand’s HRDF in supporting access to justice for migrant workers denied due compensation and confiscation of identity documents WATCH THE VIDEO

FORUM-ASIA calls on the Sri Lankan government to respect the right to peaceful protest following the systemic clampdown on protests READ MORE

Man with chainsaw cutting into a fallen tree. Credit: Four Corners

NEWS FROM THE REGION

PAPUA NEW GUINEA Indigenous communities allege timber company acquired land for carbon offset scheme without free, prior and informed consent READ MORE

INDONESIA HRW calls for immediate release of anti-mining activist Robison Saul arrested for protesting against planned goldmine on Sangihe Island North Sulawesi READ MORE

THAILAND On the 30th anniversary of the Bangkok NGO Declaration on Human Rights, Thailand approves 5th human rights action plan READ MORE

MALAYSIA Court reaffirms right of refugee workers to file claims in the Industrial Court and rules in favour of Yemeni migrant worker on wages and unfair dismissal READ MORE

PHILIPPINES 77 Global and National Human Rights and Environmental Groups in Six Countries Expose OceanaGold as an Irresponsible Mining Company and Oppose its Expansion READ THE STATEMENT

Winners of the 2022 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. Credit: UNHCR

UN NEWS AND CALLS TO CONTRIBUTE

REMINDER: EMRIP Call for Inputs: Report on “Establishing monitoring mechanisms at the national and regional level for implementation of the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples” deadline 17 March READ MORE

Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. Call for inputs: “Financing of reparations owed to victims of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law”, deadline 17 March READ MORE

The 2023 Call for Nominations for Nansen Refugee Award has now opened. This year the Committee especially encourage nominations related to inclusion or solutions, helping to set the stage for the next Global Refugee Forum in December 2023. Deadline for submissions is 17 March READ MORE

JOB OPPORTUNITY

DTP is calling for applications for an Administration and Office Coordinator, deadline to apply is 17 March. FIND OUT MORE

CALLS FOR INPUT

Business and Human Rights Centre calls for input: Renewable Energy & Human Rights Benchmark Consultation READ MORE

RESOURCES

Routledge Handbook of Civil and Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia 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.

Photo of participants from 2023 Annual Program in Thailand. Credit: DTP
Participants on DTP's 2019 Business and Human Rights program in Fiji. Credit: DTP

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]

Issue #168 March 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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