DTP E-Newsletter 208
View in your browser

DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

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

The next contribution to this year’s series on the impacts of global heating on human rights is by Brad Adams from Climate Rights International, “How the Human Rights Movement Can Help Tackle Climate Change”, first published in December 2023. Adams argues that an evolving legal system should formulate a “foreseeable harm” standard to hold governments and corporations accountable for the damages caused by climate change, and that governments must agree to add ecocide to the statute of the International Criminal Court. The new legal framework must address the plight of communities escaping their home due to the climate crisis and those facing persecution in areas they flee to. READ MORE

In this issue we profile alumna Gita Chaudhary, provide information about DTP's programs, partners and the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

 

DTP Programs

AUSTRALIAN AND ASEAN CIVIL SOCIETY EXCHANGE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY: 10 October - 7 November in partnership with MFA: 14 participants from Australia, Indonesia and Thailand CSOs involved in discussions focusing on how Australian, Indonesian and Thai CSOs can collaborate to address trafficking and slavery in regional fishing supply chains connected to Australian retailers and consumers.

UNDERSTANDING GENOCIDE AND THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND INTERNATIONAL LAW: First webinar in a new 3-part series in partnership with STARTTS was held featuring Francesca Albanese, SR on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 and Chris Sidoti. WATCH HERE

BUILDING SOCIAL INCLUSION, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY IN MYANMAR: 11-29 November, Australia: 15 Fellows from the Myanmar diaspora will participate in a knowledge exchange with Australian organisations, building their capacity and initiating lasting relationships between individuals and organisations in Myanmar and Australia. More information to follow.

"EMPOWERING HUMAN RIGHTS BY ERADICATING CORRUPTION": EXPLORING THE NEXUS: 2-6 December 2024, Malaysia. Applications open for this pilot capacity building program in partnership with The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), deadline 31 October. READ MORE

DTP BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ALUMNI NETWORK WORKSHOP: December 2024, Bangkok. DTP is calling for expressions of interest from its alumni in participating in a three-day workshop in Bangkok, Thailand with a view of establishing a Business and Human Rights alumni network. REGISTER HERE

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PACIFIC: SHARING KNOWLEDGE, LISTENING AND STRENGTHENING PACIFIC VOICES: February/March 2025, Australia. 15 Fellows from the Pacific Islands to participate in a program to increase the impact and influence of Pacific voices calling for more ambitious action on climate change. More information 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. 28 participants from 14 countries across the region. Trainers included UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva. READ MORE

REGIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER EXCHANGE, 18-23 August, Cambodia, with AIPP and IWGIA. DTP trainer and Training Committee member Matthew Coghlan led sessions on advocacy, business and human rights for Indigenous peoples rights defenders from across Asia.

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 and 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. 

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]

 
Clare Sidoti and Shafira Noor Adlina. Credit: DTP

DTP Visit from KontraS Surabaya

DTP met with Shafira Noor Adlina, KontraS Surabaya's Head of Campaign and Mobilization Unit, while she was in Sydney as part of an Australia Awards Indonesia program. Potential areas for collaboration and training opportunities for staff was discussed.

 

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 Gita Chaudhary. Credit: Gita Chaudhary

Gita Chaudhary

Gita Chaudhary is a lawyer and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights advocate in Nepal. Belonging to Indigenous Tharu community, Gita has dedicated her life in addressing the challenges faced by Tharu people in Nepal. She is a practicing lawyer focusing on human rights and justice for Indigenous peoples in Nepal.

"DTP training helped me to understand how to practically apply UN mechanisms in defending human rights. I learned about how to contribute and engage with the Universal Periodic Review sessions, how to write to UN Special Rapporteurs and how to lodge individual complaints. Now I meet Special Rapporteurs when they visit Nepal."

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].

Pranom Somwong, Khun Angkhana and other WHRDs participating in seminar "From Global Forums to the Hearts of the Poor: Thailand’s Role in Human Rights and Justice". Credit: Pranom (Bee) Somwong

THAILAND

Pranom “Bee” Somwong shares news of seminar aimed to raise awareness of Thailand’s responsibilities in human rights protection with a specific focus on women HRDs facing intimidation and harassment contrary to Thailand’s human rights commitments.

READ MORE
Screenshot of Joshua Cooper, Wenise Kim, Jihyun Park, Jun Kaj and Michael Kirby as part of "Rights without Distinction in our World” program. Credit: ThinkTech Hawaii/YouTube

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Wenise Kim took part in a webinar on North Korea for the Cooper Union “Rights without Distinction in our World” program hosted by DTP trainer Joshua Cooper, that also included DTP Advisory Board member the Hon Michael Kirby, former Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry.

WATCH THE WEBINAR
Photo of Yuyun Wahyuningrum. Credit: Yuyun Wahyuningrum/Facebook

ASEAN

DTP alumna and trainer Yuyun Wahyuningrum reflects on the need for a comprehensive human rights ecosystem in ASEAN and argues that regional mechanisms, national institutions, civil society involvement, public education, and effective monitoring systems must be developed and reinforced.

READ MORE
Photo of Prakaidao Phurksakasemsuk (Tian). Credit: DTP

THAILAND

Prakaidao Phurksakasemsuk (Tian) attended Front Line Defenders platform in Dublin Ireland, prior to her presentation of the shadow report to the UN Committee on Torture in Geneva.

READ MORE
Poster for the launch of The Guardian of the Culture : Rempang and Galang Island Women video. Credit: Nukila Evanty

INDONESIA

As part of her advocacy, on the issue of Forced Land Concession by the government of Batam and Company as well as investors imposed on Indigenous peoples in Rempang Galand Islands, Nukila Evanty launches video, “The Guardian of the Culture : Rempang and Galang Island Women” documenting the struggle of Indigenous women fighting against the project.

 

Partner News

FALE Pacific Coordinator Akmal Ali presenting at APMCDRR. Credot: PIANGO

PIANGO shares news of the outcome from the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Manila where CSOs expressed a shared determination to shape inclusive, effective, and equitable disaster management strategies in partnership with governments and other stakeholders READ THE MEDIA RELEASE

BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTRE and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights International report Exploring shared prosperity: Indigenous leadership and partnerships for a just transition, argues the case for a renewable energy transition that centres Indigenous Peoples’ rights, interests and prosperity READ MORE

PIANGO launches its revamped website to amplify voices and strengthen regional CSO collaboration CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE

FORUM-ASIA New video presented at the UN Human Rights Council on freedom of information in Bangladesh VIEW HERE

CIVICUS launches report “Indonesia: Suppression of protests and crackdown on activism in Papua persisted ahead of President Prabowo’s inauguration” READ MORE

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT The Tohmle Statement from the 4th Indigenous Knowledge and Peoples of Asia (IKPA) Conference on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Biodiversity, and Climate Change in Pokhara, Nepal has been released outlining the Pokhara Action Plan - a collective strategy on biodiversity and climate change formulated by the participants. READ MORE

 

News from the Region

BANGLADESH South Asians for Human Rights expresses serious concern about trumped up charges of attempted murder against long-time human rights defenders ZI Khan Panna and Shahriar Kabir READ MORE

INDONESIA/WEST PAPUA Yoab Syatfle, Prime Minister of the Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua writes to UN Secretary-General outlining structure of Federal Republic of West Papua READ MORE

Bangladeshi human rights defenders ZI Khan Panna and Shahriar Kabir. Credit: South Asian for Human Rights/Facebook

MYANMAR Union of Catholic Asian News publishes article in support of the views of Chris Sidoti, DTP trainer and a member of the Special Advisory Council on Myanmar, that the UN Secretary General must do more politically, including recognition of the National Unity Government, to hasten the fall of the junta READ MORE

BOUGAINVILLE/PNG New report by Human Rights Law Centre on behalf of 170 Bougainvilleans on the Rio Tinto Panguna mine closed 35 years ago, reveals the continuing impacts on the rights to life, health, adequate food, housing and standard of living of the community READ MORE

THAILAND/VIETNAM Twelve independent UN human rights experts say that the court decision that authorises the extradition of Y Quynh Bdap to Viet Nam must be reconsidered as he could face disappearance, torture or other ill-treatment, or punishment and arbitrary detention READ MORE

MYANMAR Fortify Rights urges UN Security Council to immediately impose an embargo on the supply of aviation fuel and weapons to the Myanmar military junta to prevent further indiscriminate attacks on civilians following air strikes on displaced persons camps READ MORE

 

UN News and Calls to Contribute

Registration flyer for the 4th Pacific Business and Human Rights Forum. Credit: OHCHR

Registrations are now open for the 4th Pacific Business and Human Rights Forum in Fiji and on-line on 30-31 October REGISTER HERE

Civil Society Organisations summarise the outcomes from the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council and point out shortcomings READ MORE

UN Special Rapporteur on climate change and human rights calls for inputs for her visit to Vanuatu from 27 November to 5 December, deadline 18 November READ MORE

 

Events

“Growing up on the streets and realizing children’s rights: Promising practices addressing violence against all children”, a side event of the 1st Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children, on Zoom 31 October READ MORE

 

Fellowship Opportunities

Land is Life is calling for applications for their Indigenous Fellowship Program. This year-long fellowship is available to Indigenous women leaders acting to contribute to gender equality, the well-being of their communities, and the recognition of their land and resource rights, deadline 24 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.

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.