Asia Pacific Forum
The Asia Pacific Forum (APF) is one of four regional networks of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) within the International Co-ordinating Committee of NHRIs. The APF formerly accredited NHRIs for compliance with the United Nations' Paris Principles, but now acknowledges the accreditation decisions of an ICC sub-committee on which the APF has one of the four (regional) seats.
The APF is unique among the four regional networks in having close working relations with non-governmental organisations in its region.
Members
The full members of the APF (as of December 2011) are the following national institutions deemed to be fully compliant with the Paris Principles, and holding A status ICC accreditation:[1]
- Afghanistan
- Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
- Australia
- Australian Human Rights Commission
- India
- National Human Rights Commission
- Indonesia
- National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
- Jordan
- National Centre for Human Rights
- Korea, Republic of
- National Human Rights Commission of Korea
- Malaysia
- Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
- Mongolia
- National Human Rights Commission
- Nepal
- National Human Rights Commission
- New Zealand
- Human Rights Commission
- Palestine
- The Independent Commission for Human Rights
- Philippines
- Commission on Human Rights (Philippines)
- Qatar
- National Committee for Human Rights
- Thailand
- National Human Rights Commission
- Timor Leste
- Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice
The following B status NHRIs are eligible for full membership when they demonstrate compliance with the Paris Principles:
- Bangladesh
- National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh
- Maldives
- Human Rights Commission of the Maldives
- Sri Lanka
- National Human Rights Commission
The following C status NHRIs are in the APF region but are not compliant with the Principles and are thus ineligible for membership:
In addition:
- Fiji
- The Fiji Human Rights Commission was suspended from the ICC (hence the APF) in 2007 over its attitude to the previous year's military coup, and scheduled for special review of its then A-status accreditation; in April 2007 it resigned from the ICC.
See also
- International human rights law
- International human rights instruments
- Yogyakarta Principles in Action