DTP E-Newsletter 182
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DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

Building the capacity of Asia-Pacific
Human Rights Movements since 1990

We are continuing with a series of contributions on the anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration. In this issue we link to an article, Human rights are key to ensuring no one is left behind that focuses on the right to social security and the right to development both of which are a feature of the UDHR. Starting with a quote from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, “Current economic systems are simply unjust, discriminatory and not sustainable”, the article concludes that the SDGs need to be firmly anchored in human rights and that human rights are the critical levers to accelerate progress. READ MORE

This issue we include a profile on alumna Bete Fátima and news from alumni, the region and the UN.

 

DTP Programs

2023 REGIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER EXCHANGE PROGRAM: 48 participants from nine countries gathered in Nepal from 3-7 September 2023. Topics discussed included the shared challenges around issues of land grabbing, and the denial of recognition of identity, cultures, and traditional knowledge. READ MORE

31st ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: This program ran from 21 August-1 September in Timor-Leste. The 24 participants, from 10 countries, had sessions on the UN system and mechanisms, the rights of women, LGBTQI+, children and disability, video advocacy and had the chance to hear from activists working on the ground both in the region and in Timor-Leste. READ MORE

3rd ASIA-PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FORUM over 200 EHRDs from across Asia and the Pacific will gather in person from Wednesday, 20 September to Thursday, 21 September 2023 with an additional workshop on Procedural Environmental Rights on Friday, 22 September 2023. The theme of this year’s Forum is Strengthening Protection through Data Collection. SEE THE AGENDA

CHILD RIGHTS AND THE NEW GENERAL COMMENT WEBINAR SERIES: The Committee of the Rights of the Child released a new General Comment on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change. A new webinar series in partnership with ALHR and YLA on the General Comment begins Thursday 21 September, 1pm AEST. REGISTER HERE

VANUATU AND HUMAN RIGHTS - UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW: A new webinar series for Vanuatu civil society to prepare for the upcoming Universal Periodic Review in 2024. The first two sessions will focus on written submissions from CSOs for the report on Vanuatu's human rights record. The first webinar will be Tuesday 26 September at 1pm VUT. REGISTER HERE

ASIA DEMOCRACY NETWORK'S ASIA DEMOCRACY ASSEMBLY 2023: 20-22 November, Bangkok. FIND OUT MORE DTP is working with ADN and others for a focus on human rights capacity building, Indigenous peoples rights and a focus on UDHR 75 and is inviting EOIs from DTP alumni to attend. EMAIL EOI TO [email protected] If you are interested to participate in a workshop to reflect and review human rights capacity building in Asia please email EOI to [email protected]

UDHR @ 75: DTP ASIAN ALUMNI WORKSHOP/TRAINING - 26-27 JUNE 2023: DTP’s first workshop with DTP alumni in Asia took place in Bangkok from 26-27 June, with 28 alumni from 10 countries and DTP partners, Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP). FORUM-ASIA was also well represented by its Chair (Jerald Joseph) and Executive Director (Aileen Balcaso), both DTP alumni. READ MORE

UDHR @ 75: DTP PACIFIC ALUMNI WORKSHOP/TRAINING - 8-9 JUNE 2023: DTP alumni from Fiji, Papua New Guinea/Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Tonga gathered in Nadi, Fiji to reflect on DTP’s contribution to human rights movements, discuss the current context and priority needs for human rights movements, and building DTP’s alumni networks. READ MORE

BANGKOK AND VIENNA+30 CONFERENCE: Human rights advocates from across Asia, including DTP alumni and trainers, gathered in Bangkok on 28-30 June to mark the 30th anniversary of the Bangkok NGO Declaration and the subsequent Vienna World Conference on Human Rights. READ THE BANGKOK COMMITMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA

DTP ALUMNI - NETWORKING SURVEY: DTP recently surveyed its alumni on networking. A big thanks to the 250 plus alumni who responded. We are finalising the report to share and will invest more in supporting alumni networking. READ MORE

 

Alumni Profile

Bete Fátima

Bete is a Timorese human rights defender who is passionate about women and child rights. Bete works as a facilitator and coordinator of Pre-School education at Ba Futuru ONG, a leading not-for-profit organisation that works across Timor-Leste to protect children, reduce violence, empower women and inspire young people. Bete reconnected with DTP during its 31st Annual Regional Human Rights and Diplomacy Training Program in August 2023.

"[DTP's] significance lies not only in its educational offerings but in its power to inspire and mobilize others. DTP facilitates meaningful networking and connections and equips us with the expertise needed to confront and address the myriad challenges we encounter in our pursuit of justice.."

READ MORE
Photo of Bete Fátima. Credit: Bete Fátima
 

DTP Alumni in Action

For information about 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 Executive Director Patrick Earle, Nepalese alumni Durga Mani Rai and Manoj Rai from Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) with Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk. Credit: DFAT

NEPAL

DTP Executive Director Patrick Earle, Nepalese alumni Durga Mani Rai and Manoj Rai from Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) met with Australian Ambassador Felicity Volk at the beginning of September. They discussed Indigenous peoples rights in Nepal, DTP alumni and the 75th anniversary of the UDHR in December.

P.P. Sivapragasam delivering presentation at Malayaga Tamil People event. Credit: Human Development Organization

SRI LANKA

P.P. Sivapragasam shares an article on the Malayaga Tamil Community originating from India in the 19th Century, who are still facing discrimination based on their Indian heritage.

READ MORE
Peoples' 20 logo. Credit: Peoples' 20

INDIA

Anselmo Lee shares the New Delhi Declaration of the PEOPLES' 20 Assembly held ahead of the meeting of the G20 calling for a firm public commitment to human rights, freedom of speech and religious freedom.

READ MORE

BANGLADESH

Shohel Chandra Hajang is profiled on the Australia Awards page in celebration of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

READ MORE
Alumnus and AIPP staff Shohel Chandra Hajang with Australia's First Nations Ambassador Justin Mohamed in Canberra. Credit: Shohel Chandra Hajang
Still of Nepalese migrant workers in Qatar from What Happens to the Migrant Workers Who Built the World Cup? Credit: New York Times

MALAYSIA

Selvaraja Chinniah shares video on Malaysian migrant workers living in squalid conditions and exploited by recruitment agents and employers in the Gulf.

READ MORE
Demystifying Development Banks webinar series image. Credit: The Coalition for Human Rights in Development

ASIA PACIFIC

Sutharee Wannasiri shares online capacity building session on the roles of international financial institutions in human rights and how to access remedies using their accountability mechanisms.

REGISTER HERE
The North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) and the Environmental Forum of Assam, in collaboration with the Centre for Social Work Studies at Dibrugarh University, successfully hosted a two-day 'People's Dialogue on Development Discourse in North East India' from August 28th to 29th. Credit: Assam Times

INDIA

Tirtha Prasad Saikia helped organise and spoke at a Peoples’ Dialogue on Development Discourse in North East India with CSOs, local community leaders, Indigenous representatives, development workers, academics, and students.

READ MORE
Speakers at the Malaysian Bar Association webinar on Poltiical funding, Regulation and Corruption. Credit: Malaysian Bar/Facebook

MALAYSIA

Alumni share video “Webinar Public Forum on Political Funding, Regulation and Corruption: An Institutional Problem”.

WATCH HERE
Human rights defenders Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan. Credit: Twitter

BANGLADESH

Alumni and partners FORUM-ASIA and Asia Democracy Network call on the Bangladeshi government to immediately release human rights defenders Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, quash their convictions, and end all reprisals against them for their legitimate human rights work.

READ MORE
Police clash with residents of Sibuyan Island who are opposing mining exploration activities there. Credit: AFP/Maria Tan

PHILIPPINES

Myrasol dela Cruz shares that the recently released Global Witness report has the Philippines as Asia's deadliest place to defend the environment for the 10th straight year. Most victims are Indigenous. 11 of the 16 lethal attacks in Asia last year took place in the Philippines.

READ MORE
 

News from the Region

Protesting women demand Aswsuma relief payments in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, on 26 June 2023 Credit: Facebook

SRI LANKA UN report, Understanding Multidimensional Vulnerabilities: Impact on People of Sri Lanka documents disastrous impacts of IMF-imposed austerity measures implemented by the government READ MORE

CAMBODIA Amnesty International condemns forced evictions of communities at Angkor Wat sites and moved to areas with inadequate housing and sanitation READ MORE

MYANMAR Junta jails journalist for 20 Years for articles on cyclone damage in Rakhine State, neighbouring Chin State and Sagaing and Magwe regions READ MORE

INDIA South Asian for Human Rights joins international NGOs in condemning the Asia Pacific Forum for enabling the Indian Human Rights Commission to host the Biennial Conference of National Human Rights Institutions. READ MORE

SRI LANKA New report documents the country’s human rights situation and outlines the challenges and opportunities to address them READ THE REPORT

INDIA UN human rights experts condemn the Indian government’s “slow and inadequate response” to reported serious rights violations, including sexual violence in Manipur READ MORE

AUSTRALIA Building on the Sharma v Minister for the Environment case (explored in our child rights webinar), Anjali Sharma and other defendents are calling on your support for the Climate Change Amendment (Duty of Care and Intergenerational Equity) Bill 2023. SIGN THE PETITION

 

UN News and Calls to Contribute

Photo of the front of the United Nations building in Geneva with flags from member countries. Credit: UN

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says that climate change is sparking human rights emergencies in numerous countries, and stresses the need to fight the impunity of those who "plunder our environment." READ MORE

Call for Contributions - OHCHR analytical study on key challenges in ensuring access to medicines, vaccines and other health products, deadline 30 November READ MORE

High Commissioner calls for children to participate in a survey on how the UDHR which turns 75 this year, connects with them, deadline 26 September TAKE THE SURVEY

Call for input on the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, deadline 1 November READ MORE

 

Resources

Action Aid practical guide for promoting gender equality aimed at young children READ MORE

New video explaining the UN Human Rights Council complaint procedure VIEW HERE Digital online submission form HERE

New Tactics in Human Rights documents 250 examples of successful human rights tactics READ MORE

 

Events

Social Forum of the UN Human Rights Council, 2-3 November, will focus on the contribution of science, technology and innovation to the promotion of human rights, including in the context of post-pandemic recovery READ MORE See the Practical Guide for Civil Society HERE

Invitation to a capacity-building introductory session on accountability mechanism for HRDs on the Asian continent, 26 September REGISTER HERE

 

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.

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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.

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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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