DTP E-Newsletter 198
View in your browser

DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

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

DTP’s focus on the connection between human rights and climate change continues with a link to the speech of the UN Secretary-General on the state of the climate and the urgent steps that need to be taken to salvage humanity’s chances of a liveable future. He speaks about the risks all people, everywhere face due to the climate crisis and makes recommendations to companies and countries about immediate steps needed to protect humanity’s future. WATCH HERE

In this issue we profile alumna and leading disability advocate Norberta Vicente Soares Da Cruz, provide information about DTP's programs, partners and the region, provide information about DTP's programs, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

 

Please donate

This is the time of year for Australians to donate. DTP plays a unique role in supporting human rights defenders and their movements. Please help if you can and donate here. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible. Your donation can help others make a difference.

DONATE NOW
 

DTP Programs

PACIFIC, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK BUILDING / FIJI UPR: 25-29 June, Suva. DTP is working with partners PIANGO, CCF and OHCHR on a pilot program to develop a new program to enable community advocates to assert their human rights and rights as Indigenous peoples into advocacy on climate change.

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. Other trainers include UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva. Over 260 applications have been received and are currently being processed. READ MORE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESS: 6-11 May - a capacity building program for Indigenous Peoples Advocates in Sabah, Malaysia. With Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact. 20 Orang Asli participants from Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. READ THE PROGRAM REPORT HERE

2024 HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND DIASPORA PROGRAM: 18-19 May, Sydney. With the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). Over 30 refugee and migrant community leaders from 14 countries. Brief report AVAILABLE HERE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS - UNDRIP WEBINAR SERIES: DTP, in partnership with Oxfam Australia, launched a new webinar series on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The first webinar focussed on the right to self-determination, featuring Les Malezar and Monica Morgan. WATCH HERE The next webinar will be held in early June. More information to follow.

31st ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste. The report from the six month follow-up survey of participants from the 31st annual program is now available. READ MORE

30th ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Thailand. The report from the twelve month follow-up survey of participants from the 30th annual program is now available. READ MORE

BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS - SHARING LESSONS AND BUILDING COLLABORATIONS IN CAPACITY BUILDING: DTP and partners are hosting a Workshop to reflect and share 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. Dates to be advised.

DTP NETWORKING AND WEBINARS: DTP is planning a series of webinars to continue knowledge building with DTP alumni. Planning is underway for webinars on Deep Sea Mining, and on Human Rights, Digital Rights and Artificial Intelligence. To express interest and/or suggest webinar topics, please contact [email protected]

 
DTP's Children's Rights logo. Credit: DTP

Child Rights Webinar Series

24 webinars on the Convention on the Rights of the Child are available here. Each webinar features leading child’s rights experts, practitioners and young people exploring the challenges in realising children’s rights in practices.

READ MORE
 
DTP Malaysian alumni with DTP Executive Director Patrick Earle and DTP Training Committee member, Matthew Coghlan. Credit: DTP

3rd ASEAN Human Rights Advocacy Academy

DTP partnered with FORUM-ASIA in delivering the 3rd ASEAN Human Rights Advocacy Academy in Jakarta from June 4-6 with 20 young participants from 8 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Right’s Indonesia representative (and DTP alumna) Yuyun Wahyuningrum welcomed participants to the ASEAN Secretariat for a session on engaging AICHR and regional cooperation on human rights. Australia’s mission to ASEAN hosted a dialogue and reception for participants.
 

Alumni Profile
Photo of Norberta Vicente Soares Da Cruz. Credit: Norberta Vicente Soares Da Cruz

Norberta Vicente Soares Da Cruz
Norberta Vicente Soares Da Cruz is the Executive Director of Community Based Rehabilitation Network Timor Leste (CBRN-TL), advocating for the empowerment of people with disabilities, particularly women. She joined the advocacy to persuade Timor-Leste to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which it did in 2022, and now advocates for its implementation. 
 
"DTP training kindled a fire inside of me that is fed by the conviction that change is achievable by discussion, diplomacy and action. DTP significantly influenced my approach to human rights advocacy, especially in how I can improve my knowledge in advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities in Timor-Leste."
READ MORE
 

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].

Selfie of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with migrant worker CSOs in Malaysia. Credit: Volker Turk/X

MALAYSIA

Dewi Kholifah Hamzah shares news of visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for talks on human rights and the rights of migrant workers including those from Bangladesh.

READ MORE
Photo of Tual Sawn Khai. Credit: Taul Sawn Khai

MYANMAR

Alumnus Tual Sawn Khai shares his latest article on the situation of people with disabilities and the need for further research to better assess the challenges they face

READ THE ARTICLE
Photo of youth workers and youth volunteers at Youth Off the Streets event to celebrate International Children's Day. Credit: Cipriano Manuel Das Neves

TIMOR-LESTE

Cipriano Manuel Das Neves shares photo of youth workers and youth volunteers at a Youth Off The Streets event to celebrate International Children's Day and to campaign advocating for children on the streets and child labour in Timor-Leste.
Photo of Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with a group of Malaysian lawyers. Credit: Sumitha Shaanthinni Kisha

MALAYSIA

Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna shares report of lawyers meeting with Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, during his official meeting to Malaysia. She raised the issues of Bangladeshi workers coming into Malaysia with no jobs secured and remediation exercises undertaken by companies and on domestic work.

READ MORE
Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with civil society representatives in Malaysia. Credit: Volker Turk/X

MALAYSIA

Naweed Harooni shares report from CSO meeting with Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Right on the current human rights landscape in Malaysia. They discussed their urgent concerns and potential avenues for international cooperation and advocacy.

READ MORE
 

Partner News
Secretary General of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) Gam A. Shimray addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations during the “High-level event convened by the President of the General Assembly to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples” on the 17th of April , 2024. Credit: AIPP

PIANGO is calling for calm and peace following violence that has killed at least six, the declaration of a state of emergency and the deployment of French security forces to the Pacific islands of New Caledonia/Kanaky where the Indigenous Kanak people have long asserted their right to self-determination and decolonisation READ MORE

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT Press Release: Indigenous Peoples Demand Inclusion and Full and Effective Participation in the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Rights READ THE RELEASE Press statement on non-negotiable demands relating to the Declaration READ MORE Statement of AIPP Secretary-General to the UN’s World Conference on Indigenous Peoples calling for comprehensive system-wide Action Plan for the implementation of the UNDRIP READ THE STATEMENT Report of the 2024 Regional Exchange of the Network of Indigenous Women in Asia READ MORE

GLOBAL CAMPUS OF HUMAN RIGHTS was awarded the 2023 North-South Prize from the Council of Europe recognising their remarkable efforts in the defence and promotion of human rights READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA with CNC, Progressive Voice, ALTSEAN-Burma and IID supported the recent Public Hearing on the Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar held in Timor-Leste READ MORE

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA was elected as a new Member of the Executive Committee of the Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) READ MORE
 

News from the Region
Headshot of Nasrullah Gadani with an inset of him with breathing apparatus with the tagline Nasrullah Gadani paid the cost of his human rights work - SHRDN. Credit: Singh Human Rights Defenders

PAKISTAN Sindh Human Rights Network issues statement decrying the extra-judicial execution of journalist Nasruallah Gadani killed for his exposure of human rights abuses READ MORE

KANAKI-NEW CALEDONIA/FRANCE Jimmy Naouna, advisor to the government of New Caledonia, outlines the issues facing the territory and argues that a new referendum on independence is the only solution to the ongoing conflict READ MORE

NEPAL Indigenous groups lodge complaint under OECD Guidelines against Marriott Hotels for building on protected traditional lands and harassment of activist complainants READ MORE

AUSTRALIA Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights’ recommendations to the Inquiry into Australia's Human Rights Framework include a human rights act, funding of HRE for the community including in primary and secondary schools, and adequate support for the Human Rights Commission READ MORE

INDIA Fortify Rights calls on UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to act for the immediate and unconditional release of Rohingya refugee and human rights defender from Myanmar Mohammad Arfat, arbitrarily detained for more than three years READ MORE
 

UN News and Calls to Contribute
Logo for the United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum, Asia-Pacific. Credit: UN

6th United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum: The Remedy Blueprint: Bridging Gaps and Accelerating Access, 24-27 September REGISTER HERE

The Committee on the Rights of the Child calls for submissions on draft general comment No. 27 on children’s rights to access to justice and effective remedies, deadline 23 August READ MORE

UN Independent Expert on international order calls for inputs on the Independent Expert’s thematic report to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, deadline 24 June READ MORE
 

Events

The Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment: Advancing Fair and Ethical Recruitment for All, 25-26 June REGISTER HERE
 

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.

READ MORE
Cover of DTP's 2023 Annual report. Credit: DTP
 

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.

DONATE NOW

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.

GET IN TOUCH

Diplomacy Training Program
ABN 31 003 925 148

https://dtp.org.au/

+ (61 2) 9385 3549
[email protected]

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.

 Facebook  Twitter  Linkedin  Youtube

You are receiving this newsletter as an alumni, trainer and/or friend of DTP.
To unsubscribe, please click here.