DTP E-Newsletter 201
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DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

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

In line with our focus this year on the impacts of global heating on human rights, in this issue we provide a link to a study of the impact on human rights of extreme heat brought about by climate change. This document, “I can’t cool” from Climate Rights International outlines the threats of extreme heat on the rights to life, health, food, water, education, and a healthy environment, putting at greatest risk children, women, older people, those with disabilities, those living in poverty, outdoor workers, and a range of already marginalised populations. READ MORE

In this issue we profile Pakistani alumnus Rufus Kamran, provide information about DTP's programs, partners and the region, provide information about DTP's programs, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

 

DTP Programs
DTP Indonesian alumni at the alumni workshop in Jakarta. Credit: DTP

INDONESIAN ALUMNI WORKSHOP

9-30 July, Jakarta. DTP’s first national workshop with some of the 300 DTP Indonesia alumni took place, with 18 alumni from across the years. Held in partnership with ELSAM. Apologies to those who could not make it/and we did not reach out to. More to follow.

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. Trainers include UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva. READ MORE

PACIFIC, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK BUILDING: 25-27 June, Suva. In partnership with PIANGO, CCF and OHCHR. 17 Pacific CSOs and experts participated in a consultation workshop to develop a new capacity building strategy on human rights, climate change and business in the Pacific. READ WELCOME REMARKS FROM OHCHR / READ MORE

3RD ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY ACADEMY: 4-6 June, Jakarta in partnership with FORUM-ASIA. 20 young participants from 8 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. Participants prepared reports and recommendations focusing on Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Myanmar, and Digital Rights and presented them to the Australian Mission to ASEAN at a special interactive session. READ MORE

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 More information to follow on the next webinar.

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. POSTPONED.

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]

 
xecutive Director Patrick Earle and DTP trainer Matthew Coghlan met with DTP alumni and KomnasHAM Commissioners. Credit: DTP

DTP Visit to KomnasHAM

DTP Executive Director Patrick Earle and DTP trainer Matthew Coghlan met with DTP alumni and KomnasHAM Commissioners in Jakarta to discuss human rights capacity building.
 

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's Children's Rights logo. Credit: DTP
 

Alumni Profile
Photo of Rufus Kamran. Credit: Rufus Kamran

Rufus Kamran

Rufus Kamran is the Executive Director at the Society for Peace and Sustainable Development (SPSD), an NGO working in Punjab province in Pakistan. A major focus of SPSD’s work is addressing gender-based violence especially early and forced child marriages, forced religious conversion, minority rights and human trafficking.

 
"DTP was incredibly helpful in shaping my advocacy ideas and teaching me how to frame advocacy more effectively, so that advocacy targets are achievable... When I returned to Pakistan, I felt that my advocacy campaign skills were elevated."
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].

Photo of Wensislaus Fatubun Credit: Wensislaus Fatubun

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Wensislaus Fatubun shares the media release of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua criticising the visit to West Papua of President Widodo while not acting on the many persistent human rights abuses in the province.

READ MORE
Tharindu Jayawardhana delivering a press conference. Credit: Tharindu Jayawardhana

SRI LANKA

Tharindu Jayawardhana President of the Young Journalists Association, shares their demand that the Cabinet not review the Supreme Court’s decision that Deshbandu Tennakoon was not fit to serve as Inspector General of Police.

READ MORE

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Jonathan Mesulam, Coordinator of the Alliance of Solwara Warriors, condemns the unannounced visit of a deep sea mining ship off the coast of New Ireland and the lack of prior consultation with the relevant authorities and communities.

READ MORE
Press conference in New Ireland concenring deep sea mining ship. Credit: Jonathan Mesulam
Screenshot of Victor Mambor. Credit: Voice of America/YouTube

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Concerns voiced as Judge rules not enough evidence to investigate bombing of the home of journalist Victor Mambor.

READ MORE
Bangladesh army aiming rifles lying down in the street. Credit: Niaz Murshed Chowdhury/Facebook

BANGLADESH

Toni Chiran shares video of army shooting protesting students in Dhaka as international NGOs and UN express concern at violent crackdown on peaceful protests (see News section)

WATCH THE VIDEO
Protestors against the promotion and implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in front of the Jakarta International and Indonesia CCS Forum 2024. Credit: Imam Shofwan

INDONESIA / CLIMATE CHANGE ADVOCACY

Imam Shofwan shares video from WALHI, JATAM, 350 Indonesia, and Oil Change International symbolic action against the promotion and implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in front of the Jakarta International and Indonesia CCS Forum 2024.

WATCH VIDEO
Sri Lankan protestors in front of Bangladesh Embassy in solidarity with Bangladesh students. Credit: The Sunday Times

BANGLADESH / SRI LANKA

Trainer Ruki Fernando shares Sri Lankan solidarity with organisations and protesting students killed by the army in Bangladesh.

READ MORE
Screenshot of Hubertson Tom Wilson and NMBF CC Abhijeet in Q&A. Credit: NMBF Coffee Chats/YouTube

MENA REGION

Hubertson Tom Wilson participates in Q & A session with other experts in outlining the situation of migrant workers in the Middle East

WATCH HERE

MALAYSIA / SARAWAK / INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Nicholas Mujah shares information on the complicity of government officials in Sarawak in the forced expulsions of traditional land owners and land and forest defenders trying to stop illegal logging.

READ MORE
Police forced evictions of traditional owners in Sarawak. Credit: Sarawak Report
 

Partner News
Student protests in Bangladesh. Credit: FORUM-ASIA

FORUM-ASIA On UN International Day of Support of Victims of Torture, FORUM-ASIA joins NGOs in condemning continuing acts of torture and other ill-treatment committed by law-enforcement agencies and security forces in Bangladesh READ MORE They also share video explaining the recent student protests in Bangladesh WATCH HERE 

PIANGO shares about improving financial transparency and citizen-focused governance across the region, highlighting the success of the Vaka Pasifika Programme READ MORE

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLE PACT introduces the "Being Indigenous" video series featuring Indigenous youth and Indigenous women in the run up to the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, August 9 WATCH HERE

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA Indonesian member Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia in collaboration with Greenpeace released the documentary "Before You Eat" telling the story of the exploitation experienced by Indonesian migrants working in the fishing sector. WATCH HERE

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTRE documents human rights impacts of Indonesia’s nickel mining for batteries for electric vehicles. These include deforestation, pollution of food sources, land grabbing, and threatening Indigenous ways of life READ MORE 
 

News from the Region
Cover of Tuna in the Black Box report. Credit: Advocates for Public Interest Law and Human Rights Now

JAPAN Human Rights Now (Japan) and Advocates for Public Interest Law (South Korea) report labour rights violations on South Korean deep-sea fishing vessels catching tuna for the Japanese market READ MORE

BANGLADESH International criticism is growing as further evidence of human rights violations emerges amid violent government crackdown on student protests READ MORE

MYANMAR Fortify Rights calls for end of the forced conscription of Rohingya men in Myanmar by the military junta and the kidnapping of Rohingya refugees from camps in Bangladesh sent back to Myanmar and conscripted into the military READ MORE

AUSTRALIA introduces a Work Place Justice Visa to provide temporary visas to migrants in the process of seeking to enforce their labour rights READ MORE

NEW CALEDONIA/KANAKY The Melanesian Spearhead Group statement on decolonization and the security situation in Kanaky expresses concern at the flaws in the 3rd Independence referendum and the militarisation of the territory, and calls for a UN-MSG mission to resolve the current unrest READ MORE
 

UN News and Calls to Contribute
UN flag on a flag pole. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten UN

Human Rights Watch joins UN state parties in calling for human rights to be included in proposed cybercrime treaty to prevent its use to suppress freedom of expression READ MORE

UN experts call on the Bangladesh government to end to the violent crackdown against protesters and political opponents, restoration of access to the Internet and social media, and independent investigations into killings and other human rights violations READ MORE

UN Human Rights Committee tables Concluding Observations for India expressing concerns about arrests and killings of journalists, and the use of counter-terrorism measures to repress free speech and minority rights READ MORE

UN Human Rights Committee in response to Maldives’ second report makes recommendations for improvements in the areas of anti-corruption, violence against women, and right to a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary READ MORE
 

Resources

The UN Human Rights Committee's Jurisprudence - A Year In Review 2023 READ MORE
 

 Opportunities & Events

OHCHR call for applications: Indigenous Fellowship Program 2025, to provide Indigenous Peoples with the opportunity to learn about the work of UN, deadline 31 August READ MORE

The 7th Conference on Human Rights 28-29 August, Faculty of Law, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java Indonesia READ MORE

Mainstreaming the Right to Development in Voluntary National Review Reporting eCourse, round one 26-27 August, round two 27-28 November READ MORE
 

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.

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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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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.

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