DTP E-Newsletter 191

DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

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

The climate crisis is a crisis for human rights and DTP alumni have asked us to give it a greater focus. We will be doing this in our programs and by sharing readings and resources in each eNews and in a dedicated section of the DTP website. We will also focus on the DTP alumni who are working on these issues. Please share your information and news.

In the second of this series we link to an interview with Professor Ian Fry, the inaugural UN Special Rapporteur on Climate. Professor Fry highlights the “enormous injustice” perpetrated by rich countries and major corporations, and describes his three priorities ahead of COP28: action on mitigation, the issue of loss and damage, and access and inclusion. READ MORE

In this issue we profile Indonesian alumnus Swandaru, provide information about DTP's programs, highlight the activities of DTP alumni, share news from the region, information on new resources and jobs and calls from the UN for your engagement.

DTP Programs

BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS - SHARING LESSONS AND BUILDING COLLABORATIONS IN CAPACITY BUILDING: 27-29 May (TBC). DTP and partners are calling for expressions of interest from DTP alumni interested in participating in a Workshop with representatives of human rights and democracy organisations/movements in Asia and DTP alumni/trainers to reflect on the lessons from capacity building on advocacy for human rights. The workshop aims to develop collaboration on human rights and democracy capacity building in response to the closing civil society spaces and rise in authoritarianism. If you are interested to learn more/participate please contact [email protected]

32nd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste 12-23 August 2024 – at the invitation of President José Ramos-Horta and in partnership with Global Campus of Human Rights, Justice System Monitoring Project and Human Rights Centre, UNTL – AIPP, FORUM-ASIA, PIANGO and MFA. Applications are now open, deadline 31 March. READ MORE Report of 31st Annual Program AVAILABLE HERE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS - UNDRIP WEBINAR SERIES: DTP, in partnership with Oxfam Australia, is launching a new webinar series on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We are reaching out to alumni and partners to help lead and guide the series. More information to follow. If you are interested contact [email protected]

DTP ASIAN ALUMNI WORKSHOP/TRAINING - 26-27 JUNE 2023: The report from DTP’s first workshop with DTP alumni in Asia is now available. See key recommendations here. We have started to implement the recommendations with new resource pages on the DTP Website, the focus on climate change and investing in developing alumni network – more information to follow. READ THE REPORT

DTP ALUMNI - NETWORKING SURVEY: DTP surveyed its alumni from 1990–2023 on networking. A big thanks to the 250 plus alumni who responded. READ THE REPORT

Child Rights Webinar Series

DTP alumni requested DTP to gather resources on its website. 24 webinars on the Convention on the Rights of the Child are now available here. Each webinar features leading child’s rights experts, practitioners and young people exploring the challenges in realising children’s rights in practices.

2023 Annual Report

DTP's 2023 Annual Report is now available. It showcases DTP's activity throughout the past year as we returned to face-to-face programs.

Alumni Profile

Swandaru

Swandaru is an Indonesian human rights defender now working as a senior researcher at Centra Initiative (CI), an Indonesian human rights organisation. His work involves communicating research findings through media briefings, lobbying, and networking.

"DTP’s training was helpful for me to understand how to use advocacy using international avenues such as international diplomacy and UN mechanisms. We were also taught how to engage with the government and donors meaningfully... Thanks to DTP training, I now know that meetings with important stakeholders is not only about meeting but also about meticulous preparation for the meetings to be successful.”

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].

Somchai Neelapaijit. Credit: freeassembly.net

THAILAND

Pranom (Bee) Somwong shares an invitation to an event on enforced disappearances in commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lawyer and Human Rights Defender Somchai Neelapaijit.

“Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia" flyer. Credit: Manushya Foundation

ASEAN

On the occasion of the release of the report “Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia" Ni Putu Candra Dewi invites people to join a hybrid event on March 12.

Alliance of Solwara Warriors at their 2nd Strategic Meeting held in Namatanai, New Ireland Province, October 2023. Credit: West Coast Development Foundation

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Jonathan Mesulam has shared the West Coast Development Foundation 2023 annual report highlighting its successes including community awareness on seabed mining, climate change, sustainable development goals, human rights, logging and law and order issues.

Webinar flyer for Women Migrant Workers and Responsible Recruitment. Credit: IHRB

MALAYSIA

Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna is a speaker at a IHRB webinar: Women Migrant Workers & Responsible Recruitment on 7 March.

Opening title of Dirty Vote. Credit: Dirty Vote/YouTube

INDONESIA

Swandaru shares alumnus Dandhy Laksono's video documentary in Bahasa on abuses in the election process: Dirty Vote.

WATCH THE MOVIE

Photo of Pervez Siddiqui. Credit: Pervez Siddiqui

BANGLADESH

DTP congratulates Pervez Siddiqui on his recent International Visitor Leadership Program Impact Award from the US Embassy.

PIANGO's Emeline Ilolahia in a pre-recorded video at the First Preparatory Committee Meeting on January 23 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Credit: PIANGO

PIANGO Statement by Executive Director Emeline Ilolahia on behalf of civil society bodies across 24 Pacific Island countries and territories stressing that the climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis and calling for People Centered Development that embraces traditional culture and knowledge READ MORE

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTRE EU Raw Materials Coalition publishes civil society implementation guidelines, offering practical recommendations for implementation of the CRMA in a way that prevents and mitigates environmental damage, human rights abuses and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights violations. READ MORE

News from the Region

Burmese migrant worker in Bangkok. Credit: Benjamin Suomela

ASIA IOM, EU, Sweden launch USD 12 million program based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in a drive to protect migrant worker rights in Asia READ MORE

MYANMAR ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights strongly condemns the decision by the Myanmar military to enforce a national conscription law mandating men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve for at least two years in the armed forces READ MORE ALTSEAN-BURMA provides a historical perspective and civil society response to the decision, emphasising its deleterious effects on women READ MORE

PACIFIC The UN and regional universities have collaborated to translate key human rights documents into Pacific languages. The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders has been translated into the local languages of Papua New Guinea (Tok Pisin), Fiji (iTaukei) and Vanuatu (Bislama). READ MORE

DEMOCRACY The International Trade Union Confederation has launched a campaign for democracy and produced a video WATCH HERE and READ MORE about the campaign.

INDONESIA Observers and rights advocates say that Indonesian President Joko Widodo is trying to ensure his continued political influence by skirting of election laws to raise his son’s chances to win the vice-presidential race. READ MORE

UN News and Calls to Contribute

The Fernand Leger murals in the General Assembly Hall as Werner Schmidt of the United Nations discusses artworks at The United Nations in New York. Credit: AFP

Report to the HRC by the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment: Business, planetary boundaries, and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment READ MORE

OHCHR: call for input – Use of Administrative Measures in Counter Terrorism – Report to the Human Rights Council on Terrorism and Human Rights, deadline 5 April READ MORE

OHCHR: call for inputs on combating intolerance against persons based on religion or belief, deadline 16 April READ MORE

OHCHR: Call for Inputs - Pollution Information Portals and the right to know: Strengthening access to information on releases of hazardous substances, deadline 22 March READ MORE

Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights calls for inputs on the application of a human rights-based approach to persons and groups that because of their gender find themselves more vulnerable to human rights violations and abuses as a result of toxic exposure, deadline 29 March READ MORE

Events

Asia Centre, supported by Google Asia Pacific - Online Meeting of the Digital Rights Programme for Civil Society Organisations, entitled "Fact-Checking: Is It Working?", 21 March 5 - 6:30 PM BMT 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.

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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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