Past Events

(chronicle order)


The Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples-Hotline Asia is holding the workshop entitled "Mobilizing Solidarity for Social Justice Advocacy" on 10-13 October 2005 in Bangkok. The workshop aims to stimulate awareness and understanding of existing human rights mechanisms, explore related communication and networking skills to enhance the participants' actions related to their social justice activities and concerns at the local and national level, and identify effective actions which are appropriate to the local situation. Basic human rights standards and redress mechanisms, effective social advocacy, networking, monitoring and communication for the purpose of identifying and channeling appropriate information for solidarity and support will be discussed in the workshop. The workshop is designed for staff of Justice and Peace Commissions and Human Rights NGOs in Asia in charge of advocacy and/or education/animation, and staff/individuals recommended by Church-based and JPW networks, e.g., Caritas, regional NGOs, religious JPIC, Pax Romana.
For further information, please contact: Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples, 52 Princess Margaret Road, 1/F, Kowloon, Hong Kong; ph (852) 2712 3989/2714 5123; fax (852) 2712 0152; e-mail: hotline@acpp.org; www.acpp.org

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is organizing a regional seminar entitled "Combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance: role of education and awareness-raising" on 19-21 September 2005 in Bangkok. The seminar is a follow-up to the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR). The seminar will provide a forum for exchange of information and discussion on the development and implementation of anti-discrimination policies as they relate to the role of education and awareness-raising in combating discrimination by, inter alia, forging multiculturalism and assisting victims to overcome exclusion in order to contribute to society and achieve human, social and economic development in more inclusive societies.
For further information, please contact: Sandra Aragon-Parriaux, NGO liaison officer, Anti- Discrimination Unit, OHCHR, Geneva; ph (4122) 917-9393; fax (4122) 917-9050; e-mail: saragon@ohchr.org

The 2005 Asia-Pacific Teacher-Training Workshop on Education for International Understanding will be held on 19-29 September 2005 in Chiangmai. This year's training workshop is jointly organized by the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) and the Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) of UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok. This training workshop is designed for teacher educators and trainers. It aims to deepen their knowledge and strengthen theirs skills to enable them to integrate themes and issues concerning peace, human rights, democracy, and Education for Sustainable Development into the school curriculum.
For further information, please contact: Molly N.N. Lee, Ph.D., APEID Coord i n a t o r, Programme Specialist in Higher and Distance Education, Bangkok, Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Bangkok 1 0 110; ph (662) 391 0577 ext 212; fax (662) 391 0866; e-mail: m.lee@unescobkk.org

The Conference of Lawyers of Asia and the Pacific (COLAP) will hold its fourth conference on 2-3 September 2005 in Seoul. The conference entitled "Peace, Human Rights and Co-existence in Asia and the Pacific" will provide a valuable opportunity to not only raise and increase awareness of peace and security, but also build and intensify networks of lawyers, professionals and activists in the region. A session on human rights will be held covering the following issues: Right to Shelter, Welfare, and Sustainable Development and Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific; Protection of Migrant Workers; Violation of State Sovereignty by UN Member States and Solidarity in Asia and the Pacific; Restructuring the Legal/Judicial System and the Role of Lawyers; Cooperation of Criminal Law Procedures in Asia and the Pacific; Globalization, International Finance System, Foreign Debt Exemption; Establishing a Regional Economic Cooperation System; Natural Disasters, Regional Cooperation, and Aid Systems; and Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Developing Countries.
For further information, please contact: Korean Organizing Committee for COLAP4, 5F, Jangsaeng Building, 1543-12, Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; ph (8219) 263-5406; (8211) 9711- 9872; fax (822) 588-4410; e-mail: adm@colap4.org; www.colap4.org

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is organizing the 13th Workshop of the Framework on Regional Cooperation for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific Region in Beijing on 30 August to 2 September 2005. The workshop will have "Human Rights and Human Trafficking" as theme, and a) review the progress achieved since the 12th Doha Workshop, in the four areas identified in the Framework for Technical Cooperation; and b) review the current regional and sub-regional human rights initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. A one-day consultation with NGOs and national human rights institutions will be held on 29 August 2005.
For further information, please contact: Ms. Yanine Poc, Coordinator, Asia-Pacific Region Unit, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; ph (4122) 917 9337; fax (4122) 917 90 18; e-mail: ypoc@ohchr.org; www.ohchr.org

The Southeast Asia Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (SEACSUCS) is holding the "Advocacy Workshop on the Issue of Children Involved in Armed Conflict" in Bangkok on 19-21 August 2005. This workshop aims to orient participants from civil society and the media on related international human rights standards, as well as on on-going initiatives in the region to prevent the recruitment, demobilize, rehabilitate and reintegrate child soldiers. There will also be practical sessions aimed at harnessing the skills of participants in the conduct of advocacy, research and lobby work.

For further information, please contact: The Southeast Asia Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (SEACSUCS), 641/8 Vara Place Ladprao Soi 5, Ladyao, Jatujak, Bangkok, Thailand 10900; ph (662) 9387746;5138745; 5138754; fax (662) 9384756; e-mail: seacoordinatorchildsoldiers@yahoo.com

The Diplomacy Training Program (DTP) will hold the Migrant Workers Training Course on 15-20 August 2005 in Dhaka. The training course will utilize the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Family (ICRMW) and other relevant standards. It is designed for human rights defenders currently working on the rights of migrant workers, and trade unionists. The course will provide participants background knowledge about key aspects of the ICRMW and its monitoring and reporting regime. Additionally, participants will develop practical skills in advocacy, lobbying and working with the media to help advance the rights of migrant workers.
For further information, please contact: Diplomacy Training Program, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; ph (612) 9385- 2277/2807; fax (612) 9385-1778; e-mail: actiondtp@unsw.edu.au; www.dtp.unsw.edu.au

The 7th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) will be held in Kobe from 1-5 July 2005. The main theme of this Congress is "Bridging Science and Community" which emphasizes the point that without the active ownership of the communities at the local level, effective and decentralized response to HIV/AIDS will not be possible. There are major issues still remaining to be addressed even with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) such as accessibility and affordability of HAART, and improvement of quality of life. Discrimination and prejudice against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT), drug users and sex workers still prevail, and knowledge / information for prevention of transmitting or acquiring HIV is more necessary than ever. A number of sessions will deal with issues on discrimination against PLWHA, human rights implications of HIV/AIDS policies and programs, and other related violations of human rights.
For further information, please contact: Tadamitsu Kishimoto, Chair, 7th ICAAP Local Organizing Committee; e-mail: info_icaap7@secretariat.ne.jp; www.icaap7.jp

The 10th International Women & Health Meeting (IWHM) was held on 21-25 Dec 2004 in New Delhi. The meeting tried to emphasize women's health as a fundamental right. The discussions were organized around five focal themes: public health, health sector reforms and gender; reproductive and sexual health rights; the politics and resurgence of population technologies; women's rights and medical technologies; and violence (from state, militarism, family and 'development') and women's health.
For further information, please contact: Secretariat, 10 IWHM, India, c/o Sama Resource Group for Women and Health, G-19, 2nd Floor, Saket, New Delhi 110 017, India, ph (9111) 55637632,55637633; ph/ fax (9111) 26562401; e-mail: coordinator@10iwhmindia.org; convenorsecretariat@10iwhmindia.org; www.10iwhmindia.org

The Asian Civil Society Forum (ACSF) 2004 with the theme "Building UN/NGOs Partnerships for Democratic Governance through MDGs" is tentatively scheduled on 21-25 November 2004 at the UNCC, UNESCAP in Bangkok, Thailand. The proposed ACSF 2004 is a main follow-up to the ACSF 2002 and at the same time as a regional preparatory process and forum for the Millennium+5 in 2005. It is hoped that the ACSF 2004 can create a more sustainable regional forum where regional NGOs can identify common challenges and develop strategies for joint advocacy on a regular basis.
For further information, please contact: Seonghoon Lee (Anselmo), CONGO Working Group on Asia (Geneva); ph (41-22) 823 0707, 41-79 253 7815 (mobile); e-mail: leesh@paxromana.int.ch; Rashid Kang, Forum Asia; ph (669) 023 1301 (mobile); e-mail: hrd@forumasia.org

The Asian Consultation on "Impact of Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Measures in Asia" was held in Bangkok from 19 to 20 November 2004. The consultation reviewed and analyzed the development of people's security situation since the previous Consultation held in Nakhorn Nayok, Thailand in November 2002; shared information on existing campaigns, advocacy work and the current situation in each country in Asia; jointly developed a platform of discussion on Asian advocacy plan; and provided a networking opportunity on key issues for campaign and advocacy. The consultation was jointly organized by SUARAM and FORUM-ASIA.
For further information, please contact: Forum Asia, 111 Suthisanwinijchai, Samsen-Nok, Huaykwang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand; ph (662) 276-9846 to 47, 693-4940; fax (662) 693 4939; e-mail: info@forumasia.org; www.forumasia.org

A training workshop for the Mekong region (China, Vietnam, Laos and Burma/Myanmar) is planned to be held on 14-20 November 2004 in Chiang Mai. Entitled "Linking and Learning Program on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights" it aims to enable civil society and grassroots organizations in the region to discover human rights (in particular economic, social and cultural rights), what they are, and how they relate to the daily lives of the people; help them discover how a human rights framework (human rights-based approach) can help strengthen their development work and help them gain confidence in integrating human rights in their work; help strengthen their knowledge and skills and thereby contribute to building the capacity of grassroots movements to better promote and defend basic economic, social and cultural rights. It is being organized by the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) in partnership with Dignity International, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), and Asia- Pacific Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (ARRC). For further information, please contact: Aung Myo Min, HREIB, P.O.Box 37, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; fax (665) 3279472; email: hreburma@loxinfo.co.th

A meeting on "Global Human Rights and Ethnic Social Movements: International Trends and Ethnic Minorities in Japan" was held on 10 November 2004 in Tokyo. Dr. Kiyoteru Tsutsui (Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook) presented cross-national quantitative data analyses and qualitative case studies on ethnic minority groups in Japan. He examined how the diffusion of global human rights ideas, intensification of international activist networks, and the growth of international instruments may have empowered ethnic minorities and facilitated their political mobilization and how the government has responded to these developments. Several discussants gave comments on the presentation. The colloquium was jointly sponsored by the Social Science Research Council Tokyo Office and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership.
For further information, please contact: SSRC Tokyo Office, ph (813) 5562-3506; www.jpf.go.jp/j/cgp_ j/intel/abe/index.h tml; www.ssrc.org/fellowships/abe

A meeting on "Cross-border Migration, Security, and Human Rights in South Asia: Conceptual and Policy Considerations" was held on 28 October 2004 in New Delhi. Mr. Sujata Ramachandran, Department of Geography, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada gave a presentation. He pointed out that the understanding of cross-border population movements in many geographical contexts remains weak and fragmentary. South Asia is a good example where documentation on current population flows across national borders is virtually absent and outdated government policies on migrants and refugees continue to be applied, often in an arbitrary and ad hoc manner. The politicization of these migrations as a threat to national security, especially in the case of undocumented Bangladeshis, and growing vulnerability of migrants to the social forces of exploitation, present additional challenges for South Asian states, scholars and human rights activists.
For further information, please contact: Human Rights Documentation, Indian Social Institute,10, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003 India; ph (9111) 24622379/ 24625015; fax (9111 ) 24690660; e-mail: hru@unv.ernet.in

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organized an inter-sessional experts meeting on national human rights plans of action and human rights education in the Asia-Pacific region in Bangkok, Thailand from 20 - 22 October 2004. The meeting assessed the usefulness of a national plan of action for the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level; identified key steps and components of a national plan of action, with a particular emphasis on human rights education as a potential priority component of national human rights action plan; shared and discussed practices in the Asia-Pacific region concerning national human rights plans of action (NHRAPs). The meeting examined experiences from the region on national human rights plans of action, including obstacles to their implementation and lessons learned.
For further information, please contact: The Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Room 601, 6th Floor, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern nok Road, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand, ph (662) 288 1235; fax (662) 288 3009; e-mail: OHCHRBangkok@ un.org; www.un.or.th/ohchr

The 8th Annual Asian Training and Study Session on Human Rights at Chulalongkorn University was held on 10-30 October 2004 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. It is being organized by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS), Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. The purpose of the study session is to provide a comprehensive human rights course for activists in the region. It is open to applicants from all countries in the Asian region. Persons working in the field of human rights, social justice, development and peace are encouraged to apply. The program will accept 25-30 participants, gender balance being considered.
For further information, please contact: Angkana Krabuansaeng, Program Support Assistant, FORUM-ASIA, 111 Suthisarnwinichai Road, Samsennok, Huaykwang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand; ph (662) 276-9846 ext. 216; fax (662) 693-4939; e-mail: angkana@forumasia.org

The third annual Peace as a Global Language Conference (PGL III) was held in Kyoto on 25-26 September 2004. Educators, students, activists and others interested in peace and global studies from various countries attended the conference. There were presentations on innovative teaching/learning approaches covering various themes including peace/security, environment, global issues, gender, and human rights.
For further information, please contact: John T. Denny M.S.Ed., Ph.D., International Development Studies, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University.

The 7th International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions and the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions was held in Seoul on 15-17 September 2004. These conferences were preceded by the Seoul NGO Forum on National Human Rights Institutions with the theme "Building Strategic Partnerships between NGOs and NHRIs Upholding Human Rights during Conflicts and while Countering Terrorism." The NGO meeting was held on 11-14 September 2004.
For further information please contact: Ms. Giyoun KIM, MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Seoul, Korea) m321@chol.com, or Mr. Seonghoon LEE (Anselmo), Pax Romana/CONGO (Geneva) leesh@paxromana.int.ch

The NGO Forum on National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) with the theme "Building Strategic Partnerships between NGOs and NHRIs: Upholding Human Rights during Conflicts and while Countering Terrorism" was held on 12-13 September 2004 in Seoul. This forum is being held in relation to the 7th International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions (14-17 September 2004) and the annual meeting of Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions [APF] (13 September 2004).
For further information, please contact: Giyoun Kim, MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Seoul, Korea), e-mail: m321@chol.com; Seonghoon Lee Pax Romana/CONGO, e-mail: leesh@paxromana.int.ch; Ravi Nair, Asia Pacific Human Rights Network (APHRN)/South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center (New Delhi, India), e-mail: rnair@aphrn.org

Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asian ACTs) held a Seminar-Workshop on Human Rights Principles and Guidelines for the Treatment of Trafficked Children in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines on 22-29 August 2004. The seminar provided the participants a basic understanding of the UNCHR Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Trafficking and the UNICEF document on Principles and Guidelines for the Protection on the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking; orientation on undertaking a preliminary assessment on the available services and programmes for victims/survivors of child trafficking among the Southeast Asian partners; and recommendations on possible measures for implementing and disseminating the UN guidelines and principles on treatment of trafficked children. There were more than 30 participants from Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam , Cambodia and Thailand belonging to NGOs and government agencies involved in children issues. There were also participants from Japan.
Asia ACTs is part of the International Campaign against Child Trafficking (ICaCT) coordinated by Terre des Hommes (TDH)-Germany and the International Federation of Terre des Hommes.
For further information, please contact: Asia ACTs Against Child Trafficking, Rm. 224, LTM Bldg., Luzon Ave., Quezon City, Philippines; ph (632) 951-9982; fax (632) 952-0280; e-mail: asiaacts@tri-isys.com; http://stopchildtrafficking.info

A workshop on pressing communication rights issues in the Asian region-including attacks on freedom of expression and independent media was held in Manila on 4-6 August 2004. The workshop was entitled "Communication Rights: Asian Solidarity Towards a Regional Agenda for Articulation and Action." and brought together almost 40 participants from 11 countries in Asia-Pacific (including Japan, Korea, India, Nepal, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, and the Philippines). The workshop focused on several areas: freedom of expression and media freedom; cultural diversity and plurality; so-called "intellectual property rights" and the public domain of global knowledge; and, access and finance issues in information and communications. Also discussed were community media (including community radio), Gender & ICTs, and Internet Governance. Reports were presented on the state of communication rights in each country. The participants also issued a statement in support of a Thai colleague (Supinya Klangnarong of Thailand who also attended) who returned home to face a million-dollar lawsuit for speaking out in the press against government control of Thai media. The workshop was organized by the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) in the Philippines, with support from the Campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS Campaign), Bread for All (Switzerland), and the World Alliance on Christian Communication (WACC).
For further information, please contact: FMA, #12 Xavierville Avenue cor. Pajo St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines, ph (632) 435-6684; ph/fax (63-2) 433-2192; www.fma.ph; www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=26285

The Diplomacy Training Program is organizing a training program for indigenous community representatives in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. The training will provide knowledge of international human rights law and the working of the UN and other inter-governmental systems and mechanisms and organizations dealing with Indigenous People's Rights within the UN System; and practical skills training in strategic advocacy and "peoples' diplomacy", and skills in working with the media and using the internet for advocacy. The capacity building program is scheduled to take place from 25 July - 4 August 2004 in Darwin and is hosted by the School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems at Charles Darwin University.
For further information, please contact: Patrick Earle, Executive Director, Diplomacy Training Program, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; ph (612) 9385-2277; fax (612) 9385-1778; e-mail: dtp@unsw.edu.au; www.dtp.unsw.edu.au

The UNICEF Office for Thailand, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Government's Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation (DTEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Welfare Promotion, Protection and Empowerment of Vulnerable Group, and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security will organize the Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) Fellowship Training Course on Child Rights Sensitization: Training of Trainers, on 12-23 July 2004 in Bangkok. Eligible countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China PRC, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Vietnam.
For further information, please contact: Director, External Cooperation Division I, Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation (DTEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 962 Krung Kasem Road, Bangkok 10100, Thailand; ph (662) 281 1049; fax (662) 280 3107; e-mail: dtec@saranrom.or.th; or Vipunjit Ketunuti, TCDC Programme Coordinator, UNICEF Office for Thailand, 19 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; ph (662) 356 9212; fax (662) 281 6032; e-mail: Vipunjit Ketunuti vketunuti@unicef.org

The conference "Living and Learning Together: The role of human rights education in strengthening communities in New Zealand and the Pacific" was held on 11-13 July 2004 in Auckland, New Zealand. The conference dwells on both right to education and human rights education. The conference organizers invite curriculum developers, principals, academics, teachers, educators in related fields, students, government policy advisers, local government, NGO and community workers, caregivers and those who have a general interest in human rights. The New Zealand Human Rights Commission and the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO are organizing the conference.
For more information please contact: Lili Tuioti or Rosi Fitzpatrick, TEUILA Consultancy, PO Box 78 321, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, ph (649) 360 0257, fax (649) 360 0258; e-mail: tkconz@xtra.co.nz; or, Victoria Gregory (Human Rights Commission) victoriag@hrc.co.nz

The 2nd Asia Pacific People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLHWA) Congress was held on the 10 July 2004 in Bangkok just prior to the World AIDS Conference. The Congress is open to any person living with HIV/AIDS who is a residence of any country in the Asia Pacific region. It will discuss and obtain consensus with regard to draft regional advocacy strategic action plans and agenda; and adopt a PLWHA resolution addressing the issues of Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA), Treatment, and Stigma and Discrimination in the context of the 10th anniversary of GIPA principles adopted in the 1994 Paris Declaration.
For further information, please contact: Shiba Phurailatpam, Asia Pacific PLWHA Resource Centre (APPRC), 13 Jor Bagh, New Delhi-3, India; ph (9111) 24620618/24632339; fax (9111) 24631647; email: shiba.p@undp.org; www.plwha.org

The Non-governmental Organizations Training Center (NGOTC) is offering a Short Course on Human Rights and Islam was held on 6-9 July 2004 in Tehran. The training course aims to familiarize the participants on the relationship between human rights and Islamic beliefs and attitudes. The participants will do research on existing challenges to human rights, and on Islam and human rights. The four-day course is open to Iranians and non-Iranians.
For further information, please contact: Non-governmental Organizations Training Center (NGOTC), First floor, No. 1 Golbarg-e Panj (Fifth Golbarg) alley, Golsar Str., Golriz Str., Kharazmee Str., Molasadra Avenue, Tehran 14359, Iran; ph (9821) 803 06 37; fax (9821) 803 58 93; e-mail: info@ ngotc.org; www.ngotc.org/english/en_about.asp

An "Asia-Pacific NGO Forum" held on 30 June-3 July 2004 in Bangkok was a follow through by the women's movement on what, by far, has been an effective civil society engagement with official UN sponsored policy-making processes. The objective of this regional NGO forum was to set in motion a process for the women NGOs and other civil society groups to prepare, consolidate and advocate their findings and recommendations at the Asia-Pacific level and to conduct follow up at the Commission on the Status of Women 2005 session (CSW 2005) and other international fora.
For more information, write to: Annie Serrano, Coordinator, Asia-Pacific NGO Forum, c/o Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1101; ph (632) 426 0169; fax (632) 924 6769; e-mail: apngoforum@mc.edu.ph; http://ap-ngo-forum.isiswomen.org

A Seminar on International Courts and Tribunals for Practitioners from Southeast Asia and the South Pacific was held in Wellington, New Zealand on 28 June - 2 July 2004. The seminar aimed to illustrate to practitioners from Southeast Asia and the South Pacific regions how international courts and tribunals, and other major implementation control and dispute settlement bodies, are used and accessed. The general goal of the seminar was to create local capacity to access and utilize international courts and tribunals effectively. The seminar was jointly organized by the Project on International Courts and Tribunals (PICT), the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
For further information, please contact: Cesare P.R. Romano, Center on International Cooperation, Associate, Project on International Courts and Tribunals, Assistant Director, New York University, 418 Lafayette Street, Suite 543, 10003 New York, NY USA; ph (1-212) 998-3688; fax (1-212) 995-4706; e-mail: cesare.romano@nyu.edu; www.cic.nyu.edu

The second "Making Governance Gender Responsive (MGGR)" training course developed by the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), in cooperation with the Asia Pacific Gender Equality Network (UNDP-APGEN) and the PARAGON Regional Governance Programme for Asia (UNDP-PARAGON), was held on 24-26 June 2004 in Paranaque, Metro Manila. The course is designed for middle and senior level government executives, women and men in local governments, political parties, research and training institutes and civil society organizations who are leading or participating in governance reform initiatives in their respective countries. The third training was held on 14-16 October 2004.
For further information, please contact: Sylvia M. Ordonez, Executive Director, Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), 4227-4229 Tomas Claudio Street, Baclaran, Paranaque City 1700 Philippines; ph (632) 8322112; 8320680; fax (632) 8322263; email: capwip@capwip.org; www.capwip.org; www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org

The 4th Workshop on the ASEAN Mechanism on Human Rights was held on 17-18 June 2004 in Jakarta. The workshop discussed the developments in the efforts toward the establishment of an ASEAN mechanism for human rights, cooperation on issues of common concern in the ASEAN region, terrorism and human rights, trafficking in women and children, human rights education in ASEAN, and ASEAN security community and human rights. The workshop was jointly organized by the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism and the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For further information, please contact: Carlos P. Medina, Jr, Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism , Ateneo Human Rights Center/ LAWASIA Human Rights Committee, School of Law, Ateneo de Manila University, Rockwell Center, Rockwell Drive, Makati City, Mtero Manila, Philippines; ph (632) 899-7691 ext. 2111/2112; 899-3633; fax (632) 899 4342.

A series of South Asian Workshops on Minorities was held on 15-25 May 2004 in Kathmandu, 2005 in Lahore, and 2006 in New Delhi .The project aims at raising awareness among minority and indigenous people's communities and leaders on the use of autonomous arrangements as a means of reaching peaceful coexistence among groups within the framework of the existing state.
The workshop will focus on representatives of minorities and indigenous people, self-determination movements, people from autonomous regions, relevant scholars, jurists and NGOs from the South Asian sub-region including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
For further information, please contact: South Asia Forum for Human Rights, 3/23, Shree Durbar Tole, Patan Dhoka Lalitpur, Nepal, G.P.O Box 12855, Kathmandu, Nepal, ph (9771) 5541026; fax (9771) 5527852; e-mail: south@safhr.org; www.safhr.org

A National Training on Human Rights, Criminal Law, Communalism, Dalits Rights and Globalization was held on 17-23 May 2004 to bring legal awareness and consciousness about human rights among social activists, community workers and students, and to train them and strengthen the campaign of the social reforms and justice from grassroots level.
For further information please contact: Deepika D'Souza, Director, India Centre For Human Rights and Law, 4th Floor, CVOD Jain School, 84 Samuel Street, Dongri 400 009 India; ph (9122) 3759657/3716690/23439651/23436692; e-mail: huright@vsnl.com

A Trainers Training on Combating Torture was held on 17- 21 May 2004 in Coimbatore, India. Participants made a commitment to participate in the zonal training programs in June 2004 and also to monitor torture issues that take place in the next 6 months at least. The training was organized by the People's Watch - Tamilnadu in association with the Asian Human Rights Commission (Hong Kong), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (New Delhi), Human Rights Law Network (New Delhi) and World Organization Against Torture (Geneva).
For further information, please contact: People's Watch-Tamil Nadu, No. 6, Vallabai Road, Chokkikulam, Madurai - 625 002. India; ph (91452) 2539520; ph/fax (91452) 2531874; e-mail: Henri Tiphagne ; www.pwtn.org

The two-day Asian hearing of the Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) was held in Manila on 17-18 May 2004. The regional hearing discussed migrants in the labor market, migration, economic growth, development, and poverty reduction, irregular migration, human rights, migrants in society, and national, regional and international governance of migration. Delegates from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, The Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom attended the hearing. Regional experts, and representatives of non-governmental organizations and the media also attended the hearing.
For further information, please contact: Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) , 1, Rue Richard-Wagner, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland, ph (4122) 748-4850; fax (4122) 748-4851; e-mail: info@gcim.org; www.gcim.org

The 6th Summer Course on International Women's Human Rights 2004 was held at the Caritas Seminar Room of Miriam College on 3-8 May 2004. The Summer Course provided a specialized orientation/ training on women's human rights to mid-career public servants, educators and professionals; tried to deepen understanding, systematize and institutionalize the study of human rights from gender and Asian perspectives; and, generated materials to constitute a sourcebook and regional database on women's human rights.
For further information, please contact: Shyr Lagura, Projects Administrative Staff, Women And Gender Institute (WAGI) - Miriam College, Loyola Heights, Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines 1101; ph (632) 580-5400 ext. 3590, 435-9229; ph/fax (632) 435-9229; e-mail: slagura@mc.edu.ph or wagi@mc.edu.ph.

A "People 's Tribunal on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and Other Central Security Legislation in India " was held on 13-14 March 2004 in New Delhi. The Tribunal heard depositions from victims and their families, and also expert depositions by eminent lawyers, jurists, academics and activists.
For more information on the Tribunal: please contact Conference Secretariat c/o Preeti Verma 65,Masjid Road Jungpura, New Delhi 110 014; ph (9122) 24324501; e-mail: hrlndel@vsnl.net

The Second Asian Indigenous Women 's Conference was held in Baguio City, Philippines on 4-8 March 2004. The participants shared information on the local and national situations of indigenous women in Asian countries, especially the effects on them of economic globalization, conflict situations, militarization, and fundamentalism; the initiatives and strategies that Asian indigenous women and communities have taken in response to these developments and including regional and international campaigns, and how to expand and strengthen the Asian Indigenous Women 's Network (AIWN).
For more information, please contact: AIWN Secretariat,#1 Roman Ayson Road, Campo Filipino, 2600 Baguio City, Philippines; ph (6374) 444-7703; ph/fax (6374) 443-9459; e-mail: aiwn@skyinet.net, tebtebba@skyinet.net

The Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) held the first session of Making Governance Gender Responsive training program on 26-28 February 2004. The training program was designed for local governments, elected officials, and staff of legislative and executive offices, political parties, non-governmental organizations and other civil society groups with programs on governance, and training institutes for good governance.
For further information please contact: CAPWIP Secretariat, 4227-4229 Tomas Claudio Street, Baclaran, Paranaque City 1700 Philippines; ph (632) 832-2112; 832-0680; 853-0226; fax (632)

The second Training on Human Rights Investigation and Fact-Finding Techniques was held on 19-21 February, 2004 in New Delhi. The three-day training workshop aimed at imparting better orientation for investigation technique and also skills and capacity to conduct fact-finding studies systematically.
For further information, please contact: Somen Chakraborty, Coordinator, Human Rights Unit, Indian Social Institute, 10 Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi -110 003, India, ph (9111) 24622379/24625015; fax (9111) 24690660; e-mail: somen@unv.ernet.in, hru@unv.ernet.in; www.isidelhi.org

The Alternative Asia Pacific Community Forum was held on 12-14 January 2004 in Bangkok. The Community Forum provides a critical platform for grassroots communities to network, to share community issues and concerns and to build and strengthen their skills and capacities. Participants mainly comprised of community representatives working in various sectors such as care and treatment, harm reduction, sex work, migration, gender and sexuality, youth, human rights and GIPA (Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS in South Asia). This meeting is in preparation for the next International World AIDS Conference XV to be held in Bangkok in June 2004.
For further information, please contact: apcaso@pd.jaring.my; www.plwha.org

The Centre for Feminist Legal Research (CFLR) organized the International Seminar on Cross Border Movements and Human Rights in New Delhi on 9-10 January 2004. The seminar was a gathering of international experts, scholars and advocates known for their long-standing experience on issues of migration, trafficking, terrorism and human rights.
For further information, please contact: Centre for Feminist Legal Research, Flat No.5, 45 Friends Colony (East), New Delhi -110 065, India; ph (9111) 26320499/26327303/51628118; fax (9111) 51629569; e-mail: cflr_45@yahoo.com, contact@cflr.org;www.cflr.org



The City Montessori School (CMS) will be holding the 4th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World on Article 51c of the Constitution of India at Lucknow on 12-14 December 2003. The conference aims to promote the spirit of Article 51c of the Indian Constitution which aims at fostering respect for international law and to build global public opinion on safeguarding the future of the world's two billion children. Chief Justices from several countries around the world are expected to attend this conference.
For further information please contact: Department of Public Information, City Montessori School, 12 Station Road, Lucknow, India; ph (91522) 2638738, 2638606, 2638483, 2637655, 2637691, 2637658; fax (91522) 2638008; e-mail: info@cmseducation.org; www.cmseducation.org

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates from 40 countries are gathering on 11-18 November (2003) in Manila for the 22nd World Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). The conference entitled "Surviving Discrimination, Celebrating Our Lives," is the first of such gathering in Asia. The conference focuses on the issue of combating discrimination and human rights violations based on sexual orientation.
For more information please contact: Pinoy Pride, ph (632) 8134324; fax (632) 8911253; email: secretariat_ilga2003@yahoo.com; www.ilga-asia.org

The Asia-Pacific Center on Education for International Understanding and the Asian Regional Center for Human Rights Education, with the support of the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center, are jointly organizing a regional conference on human rights education entitled "Human Rights Education in Asia-Pacific: Defining Challenges and Strategies" on 10-12 November 2003 in Bangkok. The conference will a. map out the coverage of human rights education programs in the region in terms of educational fields (formal, non-formal, informal), sectors, issues, and geographical spread, b. discuss strengths and weaknesses in the growth and development of human rights education programs; and c. identify strategies on how to further develop human rights education programs in light of the goals of the UN Decade. for Human Rights Education (1995-2004).
For further information please contact: Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) UNESCO Youth Centre, Maegok-ri, 868-1, Hobup-myon, Ichon, Kyunggi-do, Korea; ph (823) 638-9051; fax (823) 638-9607; e-mail: sungpark@unesco.or.kr; aceiu.unesco.or.kr/english/aceiu/aceiu.html

The 5th Philippine Youth Summit on Human Rights entitled "Young People: Transcending Borders for a Human Rights Future" was held on 24-28 October 2003 in Brentwood, Baguio City. The summit will bring young people from all over the country to discuss and level-off on certain human rights issues, share skills and build capacities to come up with practical ways of involving in human rights advocacy. This activity is part of the Amnesty International-Philippine Section's Human Rights Youth Action Network (HRYAN).
Participants should be 15-25 years old and have not attended any of the past youth summits of AIP and HRYAN.
For further information, please contact: Amnesty International-Philippine Section, 17-B Kasing-Kasing St., cor. K-8th, Kamias, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, ph (632) 9279856; fax (632) 9276008; e-mail: amnestypilipinas@meridiantelekoms.net


The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) held its Human Rights Day Celebration 2003 on 9-10 September 2003 with a conference entitled "Human Rights and the Administration of the Law." The conference aimed to promote awareness of the fundamental liberties stated in the Malaysian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to integrate human rights principles into the law enforcement and judicial systems.
For more information please contact: Mr. Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria, Secretary, SUHAKAM, 29F, Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja Laut 50350 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia, ph (603) 26125600; fax: 603-26125620; e-mail: humanrights@humanrights.com.my; www.humanrights.com.my


The Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IAPPD) organized the International Conference of South Asian Parliamentarians (SAARC) on "Advocacy Role of Elected Representatives in the Prevention of HIV/AIDS" on 1-2 August 2003 in New Delhi. The conference focused on South Asia response to HIV/AIDS epidemic, HIV/AIDS prevention, stigma, effective policies on HIV/AIDS, enhancing political commitment, expanding partnerships on HIV/AIDS prevention, and migration and its relation with the problem. The conference was co-sponsored by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)- New Delhi.
For more information, please contact: Indian Committee of Youth Organizations (ICYO), Khare Apart. 194-A, Safdarjang Enclave, New Delhi 110029, India, ph (9111) 729093; ph/fax (9111) 26183978; e-mail: icyo@icyo-india.org


The Indian Social Institute (New Delhi) is organizing the "South Asia Convention on Human Rights Concerns - Today and Tomorrow" in New Delhi in mid-2003. The subregional convention will discuss a number of issues such as a. State, Law and Human Rights: Revisiting South Asia; b. Societal violations and human rights movements in South Asian countries; c. Globalization and its impact on the basic rights of the people of the region; d. Political institutions, political parties and human rights : Focus on South Asia; e. Enforcement of United Nations resolutions and international human rights laws in South Asia: Constraints and Prospects; f. Militarization and nuclearization in South Asia and threat to right to life; g. Traditions of dissent and their changing pattern in South Asia; h. Challenges for South Asia in achieving a human rights regime. Participants, coming mainly from South Asian countries, will include academics, human rights lawyers, activists, researchers, representatives of the social movements, and representatives of state institutions. For further information, please contact: Mr. Prakash Louis, Executive Director, Indian Social Institute, 10, Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110003 India, ph (9111) 4625015, 4622379, 4611745, fax: (9111) 4690660, e-mail: prakash@unv.ernet.in; prakashlouis@hotmail.com



YUVA Centre, in partnership with the People's Movement for Human Rights Education (PDHRE), is organizing the Human Rights Educators' Training Programme from 24 February to 5 April 2003. The program aims at developing a comprehensive experience by equipping potential human rights educators with the skill and understanding to: a. Integrate knowledge in the fields of politics, economics, socio-psychology and cultural diversity in the context of human rights; b. Strategize the training and methodology required in promoting human rights education in various South Asian countries. For further information, please contact: South Asian Learning Institution for Human Rights Education (SALIHRE), YUVA Center Plot no 23, Sector 7, Kharghar Sector 7, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai- 410210, India, ph (9122) 24116393 to 94, 2756-0990 to 99; fax (9122) 24135314/2756-0970; e-mail: hreducatorstraining@yuvaindia.org; www.yuvaindia.org



The 11th Workshop on Regional Cooperation for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Asian and Pacific Region will be held in Islamabad on 25-27 February 2003. The workshop will review the activities held during the preceding 12 months, the activities under the 4 pillars of the Tehran Framework, and updates on the next activities. The workshop organizers would like to have the participation of relevant senior government officials and policymakers, members of the national human rights institutions, NGO workers, and representatives of the UN specialized agencies and subregional organizations. For further information, please contact: Ms. Sandra Shibata, OHCHR (Geneva), ph (4122) 917-9118; fax (4122) 917-9014.



The Diplomacy Training Program, affiliated with the Faculty of Law of the University of New South Wales (Australia), will be holding the 13th Annual Training for Human Rights Defenders from the Asia-Pacific and Indigenous Australia. The training program named "Human Rights and Peoples Diplomacy" will be held on 3-21 February 2003 in Bangkok. Women and men from Asia-Pacific countries and Indigenous Australia, who work for non-governmental and community-based organizations relevant to human rights and peoples diplomacy are invited. Participants affiliated with organizations are encouraged to apply, but individual applicants will also be considered. Priority in selection goes to active human rights defenders in the Asia-Pacific Region, indigenous peoples, peoples at risk, and a gender and geographical balance. The training will be held in cooperation with the Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (ARRC) and Forum Asia.

For further information, please contact: Diplomacy Training Program, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, ph (612) 9385-2277, fax (612) 9385-1778, e-mail: admindtp@unsw.edu.au, www.law.unsw.edu.au/centres/dtp



The Asian Social Forum, a follow up to the World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre, will be held in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh on 2-7 January 2003. Representatives of NGOs from India, other Asian countries, and other regions will be attending the event. The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) / India Centre for Human Rights and Law/ Socio-Legal Information Center (SLIC) is organizing a series of meetings on the following topics: a. Rights of women, labor, disabled people, and refugees; b. Housing rights; and c. Criminal justice. The Forum will have seminars, workshops, testimonials, "open spaces" for mobilizations, youth camp, cultural events and film festival. For further information please contact: Ms. Deepika D'Souza, Director, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), e-mail: huright <huright@vsnl.com>


The Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE) held a regional conference entitled "Social Justice in the Asia-Pacific: Refugees, HIV/AIDS and Indigenous Peoples" at the University of Sydney on 9 -11 December 2002. The first GAJE Australasia regional conference brought together legal academics, law students, jurists, community workers, advocates and legal practitioners from around the world with the common goal of achieving justice through legal education. It discussed the following issues: a. Asylum seekers and refugees; b. HIV/AIDS and access to justice in developing countries; and c. Indigenous justice. This regional conference was organized by members of GAJE Australasia, in partnership with Kingsford Legal Centre, staff and students at the Law Faculties of the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales, and the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney. For further information, please contact: Edwina Kobus, GAJE Regional Conference c/o Faculty of Law, University of Sydney,173-175 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia, email: gaje@law.usyd.edu.au; www.gaje.net.au


The Seventh Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF7) will be held in New Delhi from 11 to 13 November 2002. It will be hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC), and co-sponsored by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. A major focus of the Seventh Annual Meeting is on the trafficking of women and children and the role that national human rights institutions can play in addressing this issue. The first day will be a closed meeting to be attended only by Forum members and representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The second and third days will be open to all registered participants and observers - Forum members, the OHCHR, governments, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and other relevant human rights institutions. An NGO meeting will be held parallel to the first day meeting of the Forum.

For further information, please contact: Stephen Clark, Secretariat, Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, ph (612) 9284 9877, fax (612) 9284 9825, e-mail: StephenClark@asiapacificforum.net, www.asiapacificforum.net

3. The Asian Civil Society Forum (ACSF) 2002 will be held on 9-12 December, 2002 in Bangkok. The conference aims to create a forum to address the diverse needs and challenges facing NGOs in Asia. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Millennium Declaration and Plan of Action, particularly the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the Millennium Summit 2000. The Forum will cover the following areas:

a. Eradication of poverty: including social development and debt cancellation;
b. Peace, security and disarmament;
c. Facing the challenge of globalization: equity, justice and diversity;
d. Human rights;
e. Sustainable development and the environment;
f. Strengthening and democratizing the UN and international organizations.

Human rights and sustainable development with gender equality perspective will constitute the two main pillars of the Forum since they are essential components of democratic governance.

NGOs and civil society organizations in Asia, regional and national offices/departments of the UN agencies, international organizations and regional inter-governmental bodies, partners in the UN, such as the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) NGO Section, the Department of Public Information (DPI) NGO Section and the Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) will be attending the conference.

For more information, please contact: CONGO-GENEVA, Palais des Nations, Room E2-B, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland, ph (41-22) 917-1881, fax (41-22) 917-0373, e-mail: congo.gva@congo.org, ACSF 2002, acsf2002@congo.org; www.acsf.net


The Third Asia-Pacific NGO Human Rights Congress was held in New Delhi from the 8-10 November 2002. The congressÕ member-NGOs took up the following agenda: a. Regional arrangement for the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms; b. Human rights and anti-terrorist legislation; c. Re-examining the Paris Principles on National Human Rights Institutions; d. Mainstreaming human rights in development programs; and e. Follow up to the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. For further information, please contact: South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC), B-6/6, Safdarjung Enclave Extension, New Delhi 110029, India; ph (9111) 619 1120; 619 2717, 619 2706, fax (9111) 619 1120; e-mail: secretariat@aphrn.org


The workshop on "Universalizing the Right to Education of Good Quality: A Rights-Based Approach to Achieving Education for All" will be held in Manila on 29-31 October 2002. The Philippine National Commission for UNESCO, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, SEAMEO INNOTECH, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights are jointly organizing the workshop. The workshop aims to:

¥ review the extent to which national constitutions and laws, policies and practices, have been harmonized with the core human rights obligations relevant to education;

¥ assess the extent to which qualitative and quantitative data are available in individual countries to demonstrate progress towards both fulfilling the core obligations emanating from the principal human rights treaties and advancing the implementation of Education for All (EFA) and to share experiences and best practices in generating necessary and internationally comparable data;

¥ discuss optimal processes and institutional frameworks through which the identified gaps between goals and realities could be filled in the future, including possible sub-regional and regional cooperation.

The workshop will be attended by members of UNESCO National Commissions, key individuals in ministries of education concerned with the development of education legislation and policies, members of national, regional, and international organizations concerned with the right to education (e.g., Human Rights Commissions, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, ILO, UNICEF, UNESCO). A broader range of participants, from different levels of government and several concerned ministries, will be invited from the Philippines.


The Philippine National Commission for UNESCO-ASPNetwork organized the "Seminar-Workshop on Peace and Human Rights in Mindanao" in Surigao city (Philippines) on 27-28 September 2002. It was co-organized with the Surigao State College of Technology. The seminar workshop dwelt on a. Overview of human rights education; b. Legal foundation of human rights education, human rights and youth; c. UNESCO ASPNet initiatives in the Philippines; d. Classroom-based conflict resolution strategies; e. Human rights and good governance; f. Human rights and globalization issues; and g. Networking for human rights education. Teachers and school officials from Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte attended the seminar-workshop. For further information, please contact: Prof. Rene Romero, National Coordinator, UNESCO ASPNet, National Commission for UNESCO, Ground floor, Department of Foreign Affairs Building, 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay city, Philippines, ph (632) 834-4818, 834-3447, 834-4843, fax (632) 831-8873, e-mail: unescoph@mozcom.com


A forum on Internet rights entitled "Constricting Cyberspace: The Struggle for Internet Rights after 9/11" was held on 24 September 2002 at the Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. The forum aimed to provide a venue to discuss the impact of the anti-terrorism campaign of many countries including the Philippines as it affects the rights of Internet users. The forum was jointly organized by The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), Third World Studies Center (TWSC) and Womens Hub.
For further information, please contact: Third World Studies Center, Palma Hall Basement, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippine, Diliman, Quezon City, ph (632)9205428, (632) 9205301 to 99 loc.6783; www.upd.edu.ph/~twsc


- The Working Group for the ASEF Informal Seminar on Human Rights will be holding a preparatory meeting on 21-22 September in Osaka. The Informal Seminar series has the objective of creating a place for dialogue among the countries of Asia and Europe. The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Raoul Wallenberg Institute (Sweden) and the Foreign Ministry of France are supporting the meeting. For further information, please contact HURIGHTS OSAKA.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) held a national conference on human rights and education on 9-10 September 2002 in Kuala Lumpur. The conference was held in celebration of the second anniversary of the Malaysian Human Rights Day (September 9). The conference had the objectives of a. Enhancing human rights awareness in Malaysia; b. Increasing understanding of human rights and education; c. Sourcing materials for human rights and education in schools. More than 300 people attended the conference with invited speakers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Japan and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
For further information, please contact: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, 29th Floor, Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia, ph (603) 26125600, fax (603) 26125620, e-mail: humanrights@humanrights.com.my, www.humanrights.com.my


The National Committee on Human Rights Education organized a national consultation on 23 August 2002 held at the Australian National University in Canberra. The consultation entitled "Dignity, Democracy, Equality" was an inaugural national strategic conference that brought together people from all sectors involved in human rights education to develop a collective vision of a national human rights education agenda in support of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004). The consultation discussed issues relating to the Workplace, Curriculum Development and Teacher Training, Journalism and Media, Human Rights Institutions, Community, Schools and Universities, Lawyers, Police and the Judiciary, Governments, Parliaments and Local Councils. For further information, please contact: Michael Curtotti, Acting Secretary, National Committee on Human Rights Education, ph (612) 6287 2211, fax (612) 6287 3535, e-mail: curtotti@ozemail.com.au


The Asia-Pacific Mobilization Against Neo-Liberal Globalization : Social Movements Meeting was held on 10-12 August 2002 in Bangkok. Discussions centered on a. Update on IMF, World Bank, ADB and financial markets; b. country-specific situations; c. Campaign on the WTO Ministerial Meeting in 2003; d. Strategies for building regional campaigns; e. World Social Forum (WSF) and internationalization of struggles against neo-liberalism and progressive agendas for change.

For further information, please contact: Focus on the Global South (FOCUS) c/o CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 Thailand, ph (662) 218 7363/7364/7365/7383, fax (662) 255 9976, e-mail: N.Bullard@focusweb.org, www.focusweb.org


- The Third South Asian Human Rights and Peace Studies Orientation Course of the South Asia Forum for Human Rights will be held in Kathmandu on 3 - 17 August 2002. It is a foundation course intended for peace and human rights activists, media persons, researchers, academics, and persons involved in policy work on conflict resolution. The course will take into account various forms of violence, war, and intervention, their impact on democracy, and will draw on the experiences of human rights and peace activism, and the moral resistance to war in South Asia and elsewhere. Applications must be received by April 20.

For further information, please contact: Peace Studies Desk, South Asia Forum for Human Rights, 3/23, Shree Durbar Tole, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur, Kathamndu, Nepal; GPO Box 12855, ph (977 1) 541026; fax (977 1) 527852; e-mail: south@safhr.org


- The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) is organizing a week-long Regional Training Programme on Advancing Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The programme will be hosted by ERA Consumer and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM). It will be held on 29 July-4 August 2002 in Kuala Lumpur. The training program aims to strengthen knowledge, skills and tools required for advancing ESC rights in the region.

For further information please contact: Ms.Sunsanee Sutthisunsanee, Training Coordinator, FORUM-ASIA, 109 Suthisarnwinichai Road, Samsennok Huaykang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand, ph (66 2) 276-9846 ext. 216, fax (66 2) 693-4939, e-mail: training@forumasia.org, www.forumasia.org


The Regional Review Team on Southeast Asian Human Rights Lesson Plans will hold its first meeting in Bangkok on 17-19 July 2002. The team was formed to review the lesson plans drafted in the Southeast Asia Writing Workshop on Human Rights Lesson Plans held in Manila in the previous last year. The team will prepare the publication of the lesson plans and determine ways of disseminating them to the six countries involved (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). The team is composed of educators from each of these countries. For further information please contact HURIGHTS OSAKA.


SUARAM held a "Know Your Rights Workshop" on 7 July 2002 at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Kuala Lumpur. The workshop dealt with the topic "Understanding Human Rights" which includes discussions on a. Victims and violators of Human Rights; b. Gender, class, moral arguments on Human Rights; and c. Law and Human Rights.

For further information, please contact: SUARAM, 383 (1st Floor), Jalan 5/59, Petaling Gardens, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, ph (603) 77843525, 77820357, fax (603) 7784352; e-mail:wkpeng@pc.jaring.my; www.suaram.org


Tifa Foundation (Indonesia), the Open Society Institute, and the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) organized two seminars in June 2002 in Bogor (West Java, Indonesia). The first seminar, "Public Advocacy for NGOs" (3-5 June), was attended by NGO representatives from Southeast Asia. The second seminar, "Methodologies of Teaching Debate" (7-10 June), was attended by teachers, youth leaders, debaters as well as NGO representatives (NGOs working with education, young people, democracy, human rights) from the region. For further information, please contact: International Debate Education Association, Keizersgracht 62-64 1015 CS Amsterdam, The Netherlands, ph (3120) 520 79 58, fax (3120) 520 75 10, e-mail: webmaster@idebate.org


The Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College (Philippines) held for the fourth consecutive year the "Summer Course on Women's Human Rights." For 2002, the Institute held two (2) Summer Courses: (1) The International WomenÕ' Human Rights: Responding to WomenÕs Issues and Fundamentalism which was held on 6 -11 May 2002 and (2) The International Women's Human Rights: Women and Good Governance held on 13 -17 May 2002. The courses aimed to provide a specialized orientation/training on women's human rights to mid-career public servants, educators and professionals; deepen understanding, systematize and institutionalize the study of human rights from gender and Asian perspectives; and generate materials to constitute a sourcebook and regional database on women's human rights. Representatives from the government, the academe, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as graduate students attended the courses. For further information, please contact: Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College, Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines, ph (632) 927-2421 local 343, ph/fax (632) 435-9229, e-mail: wagi@mc.edu.ph



The Asia Women's Resource Exchange (AWORC), an Internet-based network of women's resource and information providers in Asia will hold the First Women's Electronic Networking Training Workshop in the Philippines or WENT-PH on 24-26 April 2002 in Quezon City.

WENT-PH will train participants in running web-based information services and in using online communication tools to advance their networking and advocacy work. WENT-PH hopes to enhance women's networking by encouraging collaboration and resource exchange among participants before, during and even after the training.

For more information about WENT-PH, write to went-ph-info@womenshub.net or visit www.aworc.org/went/went-ph.



The Korea-based Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) held its second regional workshop for human rights NGOs in Asia. The workshop entitled "Education and Training for Human Security in the Asia-Pacific, " was held on 17-19 December 2001, in Ichon. The workshop had the following objectives:

a. To share experiences focused on education and training in the human rights field and the community at large;

b. To develop better training skills and resources for human rights education;

c. To prepare an alternative system for the structure of human rights education in the Asia-Pacific;

d. To develop the network for education and training courses on human rights issues.


For more information please contact: The Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) c/o Korean National Commission for UNESCO, UNESCO House 8F, Myung-dong 2-Ga, Choong-gu, Seoul 100-022 South Korea, C.P.O. Box 64, Seoul, Korea, ph (822) 755 3015; 568-5115; fax (822) 755 7477; 568-7454; e-mail: " Serapina Cha, Mi-kyung " < Sera87@hananet.net >



A conference on legal aid entitled "Multi-Dimensional Needs for Legal Services Pan-Pacific Legal Aid Conference" will be held in December 2001 in Tokyo. This conference is being organized by the Japan Legal Aid Association. For further information please contact: Japan Legal Aid Association, Bengoshi Bldg. 14Fl. 1-1-3 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0013, ph (813)3581-6941 fax (813)3581-6943; www.jlaa.or.jp



A consultation meeting between human rights NGOs and the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Hina Jilani, entitled "Towards More Effective Protection of Human Rights Defenders" was held on 30 November-1 December 2001 in Bangkok. The consultation had the following objectives:

a. To provide a forum for information exchange between the Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders and NGOs involved in the protection of human rights defenders;

b. To provide a forum where local-level human rights activists and organizations can learn from the experiences and protection strategies employed by national and regional level activists and organizations.

c. To formulate recommendations and strategies for a more effective protection of at-risk individuals and communities;

d. To use resources compiled during the consultation to produce a Handbook on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, which can be translated into local languages and distributed to local, national and regional organizations.


For more information please contact the following: Ms. Ami Latona or Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, FORUM ASIA c/o Union for Civil Liberty (UCL) 109 Shuthisanwinijchai, Samsen-Nok, Huaykwang,, Bangkok 10310, Thailand, ph (662) 276 9846; fax 66-2-693 4939; e-mail: ami@forumasia.org; noi-pornpen@forumasia.org


The Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) held the first "Asia-Pacific Congress and Training of Women and Men in Media, and Women in Politics, Governance and Decision-making on Transformative Leadership" at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center, on 8-10 November, 2001 in Makati City. The theme of the Congress and Training is "Media and Transformative Leadership." The objective of this Congress-cum-Training was two-fold:

a. To share and discuss with women and men from media the core concepts of Transformative Leadership and Gender-responsiveness, and how these can be practiced within media organizations and among individual media practitioners; and,

b. To discuss how media can help in the practice of the culture of Transformative Leadership among women leaders in politics, governance and decision-making positions through media promotion and advocacy.


For more information please contact: Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), 4227-4229 Tomas Claudio Street, Baclaran, Para–aque City 1700 Philippines, ph (632) 8530226; 8322112; 8320680; fax (632) 8322263; e-mail: capwip@info.com.ph; www.capwip.org


The Third Youth Summit Towards A Youth Action Network on Human Rights (Philippines) will be held on 26-30 October 2001 in Baguio city. With the theme ÒA Conspiracy of Hope:Human Rights Culture, Human Rights Future!Ó this national activity features a series of lectures, workshops, outdoor activities, debates and negotiations, and cultural presentations. All are aimed to let young people speak up and get actively involved in the promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights. For further information please contact: Amnesty International Pilipinas Human Rights Youth Action Network (AIP-HRYAN), Unit 305, CRM Building, 116 Kamias Road, Quezon City, Philippines 1101, fax: (632) 9276008; e-mail: aiphryan@givepeaceachance.com



The Asia-Pacific Seminar-Workshop on "Developing Strategies to Monitor and Advance Economic, Social and Cultural Rights" was held October 22-26, 2001 in Davao City. The main objective of this activity is to increase the knowledge and skills of human rights and development workers for the defense and promotion of economic, social and cultural rights in the Asia-Pacific Region. This seminar-workshop was jointly organized by Forum-Asia and the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP).
For more information please contact: Aurora A. Parong M.D., Executive Director, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), 19 Malingap St., Teachers Village, Diliman Quezon City, Philippines, ph (632) 434-63-51, ph/fax: (632) 920-99-31, e-mail: tfdp@tfdp.org



The Second Lawyer's Collective Colloquium on "Justice for Women - Empowerment Through Law" will be held on 20-21 October 2001 in New Delhi, India. The Colloquium will discuss laws that are discriminatory to women. It aims to develop a feminist approach to the problem of plural legal systems governing family laws. For further information please contact: Ms. Leena Prasad, Lawyers Collective Ð WRI, 63/1 Masjid Road, Jangpura Extension, New Delhi 110014 India, ph (9111) 432-1102, fax (9111) 432-1101, e-mail: wri@vsnl.net



The 5th Annual Asian Human Rights Training and Study Session will be held from October 7-27, 2001 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. The session is open to applicants from the countries in Asia. Persons working in the field of human rights, social justice, development and peace are encouraged to apply. The program strives to achieve gender balance in the selection of the participants. The total cost of the 3-week study session (excluding travel expense) is US$2,000. FORUM-ASIA provides a limited number of full scholarships, which includes the cost of the study session and travel expenses. The remaining expenses are expected to be raised by the applicant. However, for those who are unable to raise the full cost of the study session, Forum-Asia may be able to waive part of the cost. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS), Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University are the organizers of this study session. Please send the application form and letter of recommendation by June 30, 2001 to: Ms.Sunsanee Sutthisunsanee, Training Coordinator, FORUM-ASIA, 109 Suthisarnwinichai Road, Samsennok, Huaykang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand, ph (66 2) 276-9846 Ext. 7, fax. (66 2) 693-4939, e-mail: training@forumasia.org; www.forumasia.org



A Regional Experts' Meeting on the International Criminal Court was held in Bangkok on 11-12 September 2001. This meeting reviewed the status of international human rights treaties in Asia, some initiatives in addressing the problem of impunity in the region, and the regional campaign for the ratification of the Rome Statute. For further information, please contact: Ms. Niza Concepcion, Forum Asia Coordinator for the Project on ICC Promotion, Asia Forum on Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) c/o Union for Civil Liberty, 109 Suthisanwinijchai, Samsen-Nok, Huaykwang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand; ph (662) 267-9846-7, 693-4940; (662) 693-4939; e-mail: info@forumasia.org



The South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) is organizing the second peace studies orientation course in Kathmandu on 1-15 September 2001. The course is intended for peace and human rights activists, media persons, researchers, academics, students, and diplomats involved in policy making, and conflict resolution. The course will include examination of themes related to Justice, Reconciliation, Peace and the Practices of Non-Violence. The course will draw on the experiences of human rights and peace activism in the conflict zones of South Asia and elsewhere and will deal with the long history of moral resistance in the pursuit of justice and reconciliation in the region since the colonial days. The course will take into account various forms of violence including state violence, structural violence, hate speech, intolerance, and the gender orientation of the structure of violence. Issues of legality, non-violent mobilization, pacific but coercive policies, forms of justice, and the ethics of reconciliation will be included in the course syllabus. For more information please contact: South Asia Forum for Human Rights (3/23, Shree Durbar Tole, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur, Kathamndu, Nepal; GPO Box 12855, ph (9771) 541026; fax (9771) 527852, e-mail: south@safhr.org



The Fourth National Forum in Solidarity with Migrant Workers was held on 11-12 August 2001 in Osaka by a network of Japanese NGOs working on the migrant workers issues in Japan. The forum was attended not only by NGO workers but also by the general public. For further information please contact: RINK, 1-2-13-602 Uchihon-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi 540-0026, ph (816) 6910-7103; fax (816) 6942-0278; e-mail: rink@lion.zero.ad.jp



The World Youth Foundation held the Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on Racism: Youth Tolerance in the New Millennium in Melaka on 27-29 July 2001. The workshop was organized with the cooperation of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ministry of Youth & Sports in Malaysia and the World Assembly of Youth. For more information, please contact the World Youth Foundation at wyf@po.jaring.my



The Asia-Pacific Workshop on Legal Aid was held in Manila on 22-24 June 2001. The workshop discussed four themes: a) Human Rights Challenges in the Asia-Pacific Region and the Role of Lawyers; b) Protecting the Rights of Migrants, Women and Children; c) Existing Legal Aid Programs in the Asia-Pacific: Issues, Challenges and Possible Solutions; d) Establishing Legal Aid Arrangement. The workshop was jointly organized by LAWASIA Human Rights Committee, LAWASIA Ð Philippines, and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. For further information please contact: LAWASIA Human Rights Committee, c/o Ateneo Human Rights Center, School of Law, Ateneo de Manila University, Rockwell Center, Rockwell Drive, Makati City, Philippines, ph (632) 729 6583, 7296585, 729 2002, fax (632) 899 4349, e-mail: lawasia@acc.aiti.admu.edu.ph



The Asian Women's Resource Exchange (AWORC), an Internet-based network of women's resource and information providers in Asia will hold the Third Asian Women's Electronic Networking Training Workshop or WENT2001 on July 2-8, 2001 at the Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, Korea. The annual workshop aims to build the capacities of women and their organizations to utilize new information and communication technologies in social and policy advocacy. This year's workshop offers three parallel instructional tracks: Web-based Information Services, Using ICT for Social and Policy Advocacy, and Information Management Using Databases. WENT2001 is open to all women whose organizations play or will play a significant role in promoting the use of information and communication technology to enhance women's role and capacity in social and policy advocacy, as well as to strengthen women's organizations and networks in Asia and the Pacific. For more information about WENT and AWORC, contact e-mail: went-info@jca.apc.org or visit www.jca.apc.org/aworc/went2001/index.html



The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held a regional meeting in connection with the Global Consultation on International Protection in Macau, SAR on 28-29 May 2001. The meeting identified persons in need of protection and developed protection frameworks. Representatives of both governments and NGOs involved with migration and refugee issues attended the meeting. For further information, contact Ms. Indrika Ratwatte, Senior Regional Liaison Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, fax: (662) 280-0555 or (662) 280-3479, e-mail: ratwatte@unhcr.ch and jaiwatta@unhcr.ch



The Asia-Pacific Regional Students Conference for Global/World Peace was held in Pune, India on February 3-5, 2001. The conference took up the issues of religion and its role in promoting peace, the preservation of the family as an institution, value-based education system, conflict resolution, and human rights education. Fifteen countries were represented in the conference attended by more than 200 participants. This conference was organized by the World Peace Centre, MAEER's MIT (Pune, India). For more information contact: Dr.Vishwanath D. Karad, President & UNESCO Chair Holder, World Peace Centre of MAEER's MIT, S.No.124, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune - 411 038. Maharashtra State, India, ph. (9120) 337682, fax (9120) 342770; e-mail: wpcpune@hotmail.com; www.wpcpune.com

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