Three years ago on 9 August 2017, Nepal outlawed ‘chhaupadi’, a harmful traditional practice that forces women and girls into exile during menstruation. However, myths and taboos continue to prevail in Nepal as well as many Asian countries, shrouding menstruation in a veil of shame and silence. In the lead up to the anniversary of [ Read more ]

A human rights lens puts everyone in the picture to ensure that no one is left behind in the worst public health crisis in a generation. And human rights defenders are paving the way forward towards more resilient and inclusive societies. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the dangers for human rights defenders. By protecting human rights defenders, [ Read more ]

8 March is celebrated across the world as International Women’s Day. It is a day intended to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. A day also to remind all of the indispensable role the women’s movement, women’s rights organisations and individual women human rights defenders have and continue to play in [ Read more ]

8 March is celebrated across the world as International Women’s Day. It is a day intended to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. A day also to remind all of the indispensable role the women’s movement, women’s rights organisations and individual women human rights defenders have and continue to play in [ Read more ]

On 10 December it is International Human Rights Day. A day to commemorate, celebrate and highlight the importance of human rights. The day is set on 10 December to honour the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), arguably the first global articulation [ Read more ]

Outcome Document of the Second Sub-Regional Workshop on a Human Rights Mechanism in South Asia, 25-26 July 2011, Kathmandu, Nepal 1. The Second Sub-Regional Workshop on Human Rights Mechanism in South Asia—organized by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and hosted by the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) with participants from non-governmental [ Read more ]

(UPDATED 12 July) Monitor this page to be kept informed updates on unfolding events regarding the Malaysian government crackdown to stop the 9 July 2011 rally on electoral reform. Learn more about the background of these events by clicking this link to the Asian Defender Alert on this issue. The contents of this webpage are [ Read more ]

The undersigned organisations urge the Human Rights Council to act urgently to respond to the violent repression of demonstrations currently underway in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond.  The Human Rights Council cannot be a passive bystander of such events, during which the lives of ordinary citizens have been taken or put at risk [ Read more ]

AFSPA must be be repealed! The 10-year hunger strike must end now! We, the undersigned 108 human rights NGOs, human rights defenders, and women human rights defenders from all over the world, celebrate Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila’s unwavering courage for standing as a voice for thousands of voiceless people demanding to repeal the Armed Forced [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is initiating an international petition against India’s Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This is in solidarity with the hunger strike of woman human rights defender Irom Sharmila in protest of the draconian law. The petition is also aimed to complement the initiatives of its members and partners in India. These activities are aimed [ Read more ]