Press Release by the Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) New Delhi, May 21, 2012 – India’s human rights record will be reviewed on May 24, 2012 in Geneva by the inter-governmental Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations (UN). The appraisal of India’s human rights situation will take [ Read more ]

Preliminary Report of an International Fact Finding Mission to India on the Right to Information Act The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) conducted an international fact finding mission to India on 16 to 22 September to examine the status of implementation of the Right to Information Act. This is a report of [ Read more ]

17th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 6: Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – General Debate Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Centre for Human Rights, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Habitat International Coalition Oral Statement Delivered by Ms. Pooja Patel Thursday, 9 June 2011 Thank you, Mr. President. FORUM-ASIA [ Read more ]

(20 May 2011, Geneva/Bangkok) – The United Nations General Assembly today elected 15 new member States to the Human Rights Council (Council), a 47-member intergovernmental body mandated to promote universal respect for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Seats to the Council are allotted by regional groupings, and today’s election saw the inclusion [ Read more ]

Asian NI Watch Issue Number 3

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) received information regarding the order by the Supreme Court of India banning Ms. Teesta Setalvad, a woman human rights defender (WHRD) from the state of Gujarat, India, from communicating to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Supreme Court of India [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) received information on the brutal attack and threats by local money lenders against Ms. Sunita Devi, a Dalit widow and woman human rights defender from Bihar. FORUM-ASIA received information that Ms. Sunita Devi was threatened and physically assaulted by local money lenders in her community. It [ 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AFSPA must be be repealed!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 ]

To:  The Chairperson, Meena Gupta Committee Greetings and peace from the People of Korea First, let me say that we appreciate your efforts regarding the Pohang Steel Company (POSCO)’s project launched in Orissa. Our civil society, including NGOs in South Korea, has been paying close attention to this project. We have noticed recently that the Saxena Committee’s report reveals [ Read more ]