2.2 NHRI – AICHR – CSOs’ Dialogue on the Post-Pandemic Human Rights Landscape in Southeast Asia
2nd November, 10:00 – 12:00 pm, Room: Kristal 1&2
Background: In August 2021, FORUM-ASIA organised an online conference titled, “Human Rights in Times of Pandemic: Ways for Collaboration between AICHR, CSOs, and NHRIs to address the crisis in Southeast Asia”, given the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fulfillment of human rights in the Southeast Asian region. Some of these included: militarised approaches to the management of the pandemic by ASEAN governments; the introduction and use of repressive legislations; introducing new and alarming emergency measures; and xenophobic actions and hate speech generated through the “othering” of migrants and refugees. Additionally, this period saw an increase in reprisals against human rights defenders (HRDs), including environmental defenders opposing unethical or unlawful corporate practices, and against journalists for reporting human rights violations and abuses committed by state apparatuses during the pandemic. Several of such violations continue to be committed even three years on.
During this period, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in Southeast Asia had to address several human rights issues arising as a result of governments’ response to, and their handling of, the COVID-19 pandemic at the country level. NHRIs in the region had to perform various functions, like monitoring, advocacy, providing recommendations, issuing statements, and initiating legal actions, as well as raising the concerns of marginalised and vulnerable groups, given the higher and harsher impact of the pandemic on their lives. However, the concerns of shrinking civic space and the persecution of human rights defenders – particularly women HRDs – were not adequately addressed in NHRIs’ responses during the pandemic, and till date, there remain a range of issues in the aftermath of the pandemic that still require appropriate, responsible, and adaptive responses from NHRIs.
At the ASEAN level, the regional bloc adopted the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) – a manifesto of how the region’s economy can survive after the pandemic. The plan, whilst remarkable, drew criticism as it lacked a human rights perspective and the involvement of civil society in its implementation. A coalition of civil society had called for the inclusion of a human rights-based approach to the ACRF, yet to no avail. The involvement of NHRIs, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and ASEAN Commission on the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) had also been minimal.
Following the conference and dialogue between AICHR, NHRIs, and CSOs in 2021, it is necessary for these entities to come together and evaluate the changed landscape for human rights post- the COVID-19 pandemic in the various Southeast Asian countries, and to discuss the challenges and also opportunities for collaboration from hereon. This will ensure a much-need discussion on how institutions, human rights mechanisms, and CSOs can come together and ensure a commitment to protect and promote human rights despite their changing forms in a post-pandemic world.
In light of this, FORUM-ASIA, as the Secretariat of the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) plans to organise this discussion between AICHR, Southeast Asian NHRIs, and CSOs at the AHRDF10, by bringing together representatives from these entities to share the same platform and discuss the way forward for human rights in the region, post- the pandemic. The discussion is expected to touch upon the situation of democracy and authoritarianism in the region in the context of post-COVID-19, which include repressive laws, protection of HRDs, elections, and how institutions and human rights mechanisms can be more responsive to the changing human rights landscape.
Objectives
- To foster an effective and collaborative dialogue between AICHR, NHRIs, and CSOs on the changing landscape of human rights post- the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on shrinking civic space; increased human rights violations; and impact on democratic processes and institutions; and
- To address the challenges and opportunities in the coming years, as well as potential action plans between CSOs, AICHR, and NHRIs in responding to alarming human rights issues in the aftermath of the pandemic.
This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.
