** This side event is cancelled due to the global COVID-19 situation ** Date: 5 March 2020 Time: 13:00 – 14:00 Venue: Room XXVII, Palais des Nations, Geneva Moderator: Sejin Kim, FORUM-ASIA Panelists:  Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of HRDs Mandkhaitsetsen Urantulkhuur, Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia Shahindha Ismail, Maldivian Democracy [ Read more ]

(24 February 2020) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) thanks the Committee on Public Services for its invitation to participate in the deliberations on the resolutions concerning ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. FORUM-ASIA appreciates efforts by the Committee to ensure civil society voices are considered in their deliberations. FORUM-ASIA is a network of [ Read more ]

For Immediate Release Philippines: Free Senator; End Attacks on Rights Defenders Duterte Critic Leila de Lima Held 3 Years on Fabricated Charges (Manila, February 20, 2020) – Philippine authorities should immediately release Senator Leila de Lima, who has been detained for three years, and drop the politically motivated charges against her, Amnesty International, FORUM-ASIA, and [ Read more ]

PhilRights, the research and information center of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), published a report ‘The Killing State: 2019 Philippine Human Rights Situationer.’ This report is a product of a yearlong effort to monitor and analyse developments impacting the human rights and dignity of Filipinos. The report outlined how the human rights [ Read more ]

Press release 10 December 2019 Assault on human rights defenders in the Philippines at crisis point As we mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), it is, we firmly believe, as relevant today as it was when it was adopted 71 years ago. Human rights defenders, environmental activists, indigenous peoples rights [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 7 November 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) denounces the recent raids of activist organisations in Manila and Negros Occidental, and the continuous attempts to discredit civil society organisations in the Philippines. FORUM-ASIA calls on the Government and all State agencies to ensure respect for the rights of all [ Read more ]

42nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Oral Statement Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Tuesday, 17 September 2019 Mr. President, FORUM-ASIA calls for the Council’s attention on the human [ Read more ]

To:   Hon. José Luis Martín C. Gascon, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights Hon. Roberto Eugenio T. Cadiz, Chairperson of the Human Rights Defenders Inquiry Panel   cc:    Office of the President, Republic of the Philippines   Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of the Philippines SAAC Building, UP Complex, Commonwealth Avenue, [ Read more ]

Since the start of the so-called “war on drugs” by the current government of the Philippines, the human rights situation in the country has deteriorated dramatically. In July 2019, the Human Rights Council responded to the situation by adopting Resolution 41/2, which requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a comprehensive report that [ Read more ]

Philippines: Take Concrete Steps to Protect Land and Environmental Defenders (Bangkok, 31 July 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses its utmost concern regarding recent findings by Global Witness, an international human rights organisation, proclaiming the Philippines as the deadliest country for land and environmental defenders. The Government of the Philippines [ Read more ]