45th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner Oral Statement Delivered by Dhwani Nagpal On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Monday, 14 September 2020   Madam President, FORUM-ASIA welcomes the High Commissioner’s update and echoes her [ Read more ]

To member and observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Re: UN Human Rights Council should urgently launch an independent international investigative mechanism on the human rights situation in the Philippines Geneva, 27 August 2020 Your Excellency, We, the undersigned civil society organizations, write to express our continued grave concern over ongoing extrajudicial [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 19 August 2020) ‒ The Philippine government should immediately end the killings of activists and human rights defenders and ensure credible, transparent investigations and accountability for the lives which have been lost, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said in a statement today. Human rights activist Zara Alvarez was gunned down [ Read more ]

The State of the Nation under Duterte:  Four years of deteriorating human rights and democracy (Bangkok, 27 July 2020) ‒ Duterte’s four years in power have been characterised by the systematic erosion of human rights, and the failure of governance and democracy, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and six of [ Read more ]

We Condemn the Duterte government for Continuous Suppression of Human Rights On 3 July 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. The government enforced the Act that posed a serious threat to human rights and democracy of the Philippines, regardless of concerns from the international community as well as the Philippines. Anti-Terrorism [ Read more ]

A webinar on ‘Human Rights Situation in the Philippines: Civil Society Reactions to the UN High Commissioner’s Report’ The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report on the Philippines revealed widespread human rights violations and persistent impunity in consonance with reports by most civil society organisations on what is happening in the [ Read more ]

44th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on the human rights situation in the Philippines Oral Statement Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), World Organisation Against [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 23 June 2020) ‒ The recent red-tagging of Balaod Mindanaw Executive Director Ritz Lee Santos III and other human rights defenders demonstrates the significant threats they continue to face under Duterte’s administration, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said today. A Facebook post circulated over the weekend claimed that Santos, along [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 15 June 2020) – The conviction of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and former Rappler writer-researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. over cyber libel charges today sends a chilling message that the Philippine people are now a target, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said. Today, the Manila Regional Trial Court convicted Maria Ressa [ Read more ]

The well-being of human rights defenders is a critical – but still often neglected – issue. Human rights defenders (HRDs) are particularly exposed to a number of different stressors. Unlike others, HRDs will generally have a higher exposure to stress and trauma, either directly or indirectly. ‘Psychosocial Well-being for Human Rights Defenders in the Philippines’ aims to [ Read more ]