Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is a membership-based human rights organization "committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights including the right to development".[1] They were founded in 1991 in Manila, and are now based in Geneva, Switzerland. Their Secretariat has been located in Bangkok, Thailand since 1994. FORUM-ASIA currently have 46 member organizations from 17 countries across Asia. They issue several publications, including the quarterly newsletter Asian Human Rights Defender.

FORUM-ASIA mission is to "empower people by advocating social justice, sustainable human development, participatory democracy, gender equality, peace and human security through collaboration and cooperation among human rights organisations in the region."[2] Amnesty International has called FORUM-ASIA "Southeast Asia’s pre-eminent human rights organization".[3]

In 1995 FORUM-ASIA published Indonesia: 50 Years After Independence - Stability and Unity on a Culture of Fear, a report on Indonesian human rights issues since their independence from Dutch colonial rule. While the report was criticized as showing a Western perspective towards Asian issues, this was, "the first time that a human rights report concerning an Asian country has been prepared and published by a regional organization in Asia."[4]

FORUM-ASIA has worked with several other human rights organizations over the years. Since 2004 FORUM-ASIA has had Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.[5] FORUM-ASIA also serves on the Steering Committee of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. They are a regional partner of Southeast Asia Regional Cooperation in Human Development (SEARCH).[6] FORUM-ASIA has issued several joint statements with Amnesty International, Cairo Institute and other human rights organizations. [7] [8] [9]

Member Organizations

Bangladesh

Burma

Cambodia

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

Nepal

Pakistan

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Sri Lanka

Taiwan

Timor Leste

Thailand

See also

References

  1. ↑ Forum-Asia Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
  2. ↑ Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia)
  3. ↑ Everything you need to know about human rights. | Amnesty International
  4. ↑ Maidment, Richard. Governance in the Asia-Pacific. Psychology Press, 1998. p. 168.
  5. ↑ UNHCR - Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
  6. ↑ Regional Partners - ASEAN Working Group for a Human Rights Mechanism Integrated Development Enterprise Associates
  7. ↑ http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/IOR52/001/2010/en/17b23468-5dd7-4a52-8cf5-16ebdc5de3ad/ior520012010en.html
  8. ↑ http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/IOR41/024/2009/en/df63060b-e9ac-443f-a800-24438da05c3c/ior410242009en.html
  9. ↑ http://www.cihrs.org/English/NewsSystem/Articles/1642.aspx
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