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The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) reviously known as Forum-Asiais a membership-based regional human rights organisation with 85 member organisations in 23 countries across Asia. It is committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights including the right to development. FORUM-ASIA was founded in 1991 in Manila, The Philippines and opened its Regional Secretariat in Bangkok in 1992. Subsequently, offices have also been opened in Geneva, Jakarta and Kathmandu. It has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2004. FORUM-ASIA is committed to building a peaceful, just, equitable and ecologically sustainable community of peoples and societies in Asia, where all human rights of all individuals, groups and peoples – in particular, the poor, marginalised and discriminated against – are fully respected and realised in accordance with internationally accepted human rights norms and standards.


History


Founding (1991–1994)

In December 1991, a regional consultation, 'On Collaboration between Human Rights Organisations in South and South-East Asia', was held in Manila, the Philippines. During the meeting a new network was established, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia). The idea for the consultation came from D.J. Ravindran, former Legal Officer for Asia for the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). Prior to the consultation he had visited several countries in the region to gain input for a working paper to be used during the event. This first consultation had participants from nine countries representing 19 organisations, who became the founding members of Forum-Asia. These organisations were: * Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) from Bangladesh * Legal Resource for Social Action (LRSA) from India * Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) from Indonesia * Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) from Malaysia * Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) from Nepal * Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) from Pakistan * Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) from the Philippines * Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) from the Philippines * Protestant Lawyers League of the Philippines (PLLP) from the Philippines * Pilipina Legal Resources Center (PLRC) from the Philippines * Paglilingkod Batas Pangkapapatiran Foundation (PBPF) from the Philippines * Tanggol-Kalikasan (TK) from the Philippines * Paralegal Training and Service Center (PTSC) from the Philippines * Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE) from Sri Lanka * Law and Society Trust (LST) from Sri Lanka * Information Human Rights Documentation Centre (INFORM) from Sri Lanka * Union for Civil Liberty (UCL) from Thailand * Coordination Group for Religion in Society (CGRS) from Thailand * Friends of Women Foundation (FWF) from Thailand. The initial objectives of Forum-Asia were to ''conduct programmes to further strengthen the effectiveness of human rights organisations in the region and to facilitate collaboration between them''. The idea was that while there was an increase in organisations working in Asia on human rights, these organisations were mostly set up or run by groups in Europe or North America. The notion was that the region needed a regional network that was set up by Asians for Asians. Forum-Asia would provide a voice for victims of human rights abuses, their families and those that were attempting to defend them, the human right defenders (HRDs) themselves. There was a conscious choice to include both human rights and development in the name. While most, if not all, organisations initially involved were human rights organisations, there was a recognition of the interconnectedness of the human rights concerns that many of the founding members worked on with socio-economic development, including developmental and economic inequality, and market globalisation. Throughout Forum-Asia's history so far though – that is until 2016 – the development part of its name has been overshadowed by the work on human rights. The first months after the founding meeting were spent drafting proposals and raising funds. D.J. Ravindran was asked to help develop and establish the organisation as a consultant, and was joined in this task by Chalida Tajaroensuk. During the 1991 meeting it had been suggested that Forum-Asia should be hosted by one of the founding organisations. The UCL, based in Bangkok, Thailand became the host to the regional secretariat of the network. Ms. Songphorn Tajaroensuk became the first Secretary General of Forum-Asia. The first activity that Forum-Asia undertook was organised jointly with TFDP and PTSC. It was a ‘Regional Training Programme on Fact-Finding and Documentation of Human Rights Violations', which took place on 27 September-12 October 1992 in Manila. It was an indication of the initial focus of the network. During the first years the activities and campaigns of Forum-Asia largely centred on capacity building with the vision of strengthening the member organisations in the region. Building on the experience of some of the members, these skills were shared and spread throughout the network. In 1993, Forum-Asia became involved in the UN
World Conference on Human Rights The World Conference on Human Rights was held by the United Nations in Vienna, Austria, on 14 to 25 June 1993. It was the first human rights conference held since the end of the Cold War. The main result of the conference was the Vienna Declaratio ...
, including in the preparatory process that resulted in the ‘Final Declaration of the Regional Meeting for Asia of the World Conference on Human Rights or Bangkok Declaration'. This was the start of the advocacy component of Forum-Asia's work. Something which would become a central part of its strategies in the following years. On 14–17 October 1994, the first General Assembly (GA) of Forum-Asia was held at the Wangree Resort in Nakorn Nayok, Thailand.Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), (1994), Report of Proceedings of the First General Assembly, FORUM-ASIA: Bangkok, Thailand. The first three years had been labelled to be ''an experimental period'' from the start, so the GA focussed primarily on reviewing this period and making decisions for the future. During the meeting it was agreed that Forum-Asia had a distinct character and role to play and should therefore be continued and expanded. Given its status as being in an experimental phase, no full-fledged Secretariat had been set up in the first years. During the 1994 GA it was decided that such a full-fledged Secretariat should be established, yet remain an unregistered association that would not seek judicial status. As such, it was decided that UCL would continue to host the Secretariat.


Consolidation and growth (1994–2004)

With Forum-Asia no longer being in the experimental phase, the time to strengthen and expand the network started after the GA of 1994. New strategies and programmes were developed, including diplomacy, human rights education, advocacy and campaigning. The Secretariat also expanded its work on particular focus areas, including from 1995 on women's human rights. In 1995 Forum-Asia undertook its first country mission. The regional mission to Burma focused on assessing the situation in the country. The group met with different stakeholders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and based on these engagements assessed how Forum-Asia could assist the HRDs of the country to improve the human rights situation in Burma. A year later, in 1996, the involvement of Forum-Asia in Burma became instrumental to the establishment of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma), a network of organisations and individuals based in Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that support the movement for human rights and democracy in Burma. Forum-Asia's involvement in the developmental stage of new initiatives has been repeated multiple times during the network's existence. Forum-Asia would be part of identifying a key concern or issue related to human rights, it would (co-)organise a meeting on the topic, during which a new network or collective would be established. Often, Forum-Asia would initially fulfil the role of Secretariat or host the Secretariat for the new group before they became independent. In this manner the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) was established in 1997. ANFREL works to promote and support democratisation at national and regional levels across Asia. They focus on elections and election monitoring. Another example is Forum-Asia's involvement with the non-governmental organisations (NGO) Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) in 2001. With time, the particular organisational priorities of Forum-Asia changed. In a report from 1999 the network describes itself by stating that '... ''It strives to promote, on the basis of global perspective, a regional initiative towards the protection of human rights, development and peace in the region through collaboration of human rights and development NGOs and people's organizations in Asia.'' Testimony to this growing focus on global advocacy, was the granting of consultative status to Forum-Asia in 2004 to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC status) after a two-year application process. ECOSOC status provided Forum-Asia with access to ECOSOC, its many subsidiary bodies, the various human rights mechanisms of the United Nations (UN), ad-hoc processes on small arms, and special events organised by the President of the General Assembly. To be able to obtain ECOSOC status, the Forum-Asia Foundation was officially registered in 2000. However, developing, expanding and strengthening a network is not easy. Known challenges that civil society organisations (CSOs) face across the globe, are multi-layered by additional complications when working through a regional network. Reflections from 2002 highlight ''the emergence of Forum-Asia sa regional entity recognized by governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society groups in the region and elsewhere. It has emerged as a major partner in most leading human rights activities.''Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), (2002), Report of Activities 2002, FORUM-ASIA: Bangkok, Thailand. However, at the same time it was also said that 'We are still faced with the challenge of linking human rights activism from local, national, regional and global level. ... ''we have to acknowledge that not all members are equally engaged in all the campaigns and activities conducted by Forum-Asia.'' While by no means unique to a network organisation, Forum-Asia decided to address these issues and those raised in a previous evaluation. In 2003 it established a project on 'Transforming the Secretariat'. An external consultant, Deep Rai, was tasked to address the challenges and needs identified by staff and the executive committee.


Independence (2005–2013)

Initiated by the aforementioned evaluation and the project, 'Transforming the Secretariat', a process was set in motion to change Forum-Asia. At the GA of 2004 it was decided that a new function would be established, being that of an executive director. In January 2005, Anselmo Lee was the first to take this position. The position of executive director of Forum-Asia would later be held by Yap Swee Seng, Giyoun Kim (Acting), and Evelyn Balais-Serrano. The restructuring process also led to the decision to establish the network as an independent body. A change that was not to the agreement of all. Forum-Asia set up its own office, and went through the difficult process of re-establishing itself. With this came an adjustment in the name, from Forum-Asia to FORUM-ASIA. It was a difficult period in the history of the organisation and network, but one that was necessary in its evolution. The changes prompted FORUM-ASIA to re-evaluate its strategies and programmes. By 2005 the network consisted of 36 members in 14 countries. The refocusing of its strategic priorities led to a stronger focus on international advocacy and coalition building. A highlight of which was the establishment of the Geneva Office in 2006. The objective of the Geneva Office was and continues to be two-fold. First is to increase the impact and effectiveness of FORUM-ASIA and its members' advocacy in UN fora. Second is to encourage accountability of Asian member states to UN Human Rights Mechanisms. In 2010 the Geneva example paved the way for the establishment of an office in Jakarta. The objective was and still is to monitor, engage with and inform FORUM-ASIA members about the developments of ASEAN, in particularly those related to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC). The office is hosted by the Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan (KontraS or Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence), a prominent member organisation of FORUM-ASIA in Indonesia. In 2006, FORUM-ASIA was involved in two notable other initiatives. The establishment of the Solidarity for Asian People's Advocacy (SAPA) – a network focussed on cross-sectoral partnerships build around shared advocacy targets – and the creation of the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI). An external evaluation from 2007 concluded that '... the principal added value f FORUM-ASIAis a) protection ... b) facilitating regional and international human rights advocacy, and c) providing a platform for learning and collective action ... .'Real, Mary Jane, and Ricardo Wilson-Grau, (2007), Participatory Evaluation of FORUM-ASIA's Results July 2004-June 2007, FORUM-ASIA: Bangkok, Thailand. This observation indicated another shift in FORUM-ASIA's efforts away from the focus on capacity building from the initial years of FORUM- ASIA. Furthering the tradition of involvement in the birth of new networks and coalitions, FORUM-ASIA was part of the establishment of the Asia Pacific Refugees Rights Network (APRRN) in 2008. FORUM-ASIA hosted APRRNs first coordinator after his appointment in 2010, and hosted the network during its formative years to allow it to grow. APRRN became independent in 2012. One of FORUM-ASIA's latest initiatives, in this tradition, was the Regional Initiative for a South Asia Human Right Mechanism (RISAHRM). RISAHRM's aim is to establish a South Asian human rights mechanism that brings together national processes and regional aspirations.


2013–2016

In 2013 a new management team was appointed, led by Evelyn Balais-Serrano as executive director, to guide FORUM-ASIA into a new period. With the 25 year anniversary in 2016 coming up the network and organisation once again needed to reflect and re-evaluate the role, the added value and the priorities of the movement. In recognition of the desire of many to make capacity building and training once again a central component of FORUM-ASIA's work, in 2013 it initiated the Glo-cal Advocacy Leadership in Asia Academy (GALA Academy) together with the Asian Development Alliance (ADA) and the Asian Democracy Network (ADN). The aim of the GALA Academy is to strengthen the international advocacy capacity of mid- and high-level staff in civil society organisations (CSOs). Realising the need to enhance FORUM-ASIA's advocacy efforts in South Asia, the Kathmandu office, in Nepal was established in 2015. Hosted by founding member, INSEC, the Kathmandu office provides a permanent presence to strengthen and consolidate the human rights movement through effective collaboration with member and partner organisations in South Asia.


Member organizations

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
* One organisation name withheld for security reasons * SRMO – Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
* ASK – Ain O Salish Kendra (Law and Mediation Center) * MLAA – Madaripur Legal Aid Association * Odhikar * RIC – Resource Integration Center * RMMRU – Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit
Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
* Equality Myanmar * WLB – Women's League of Burma * Progressive Voice
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
* ADHOC – Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association * LICADHO – Cambodia League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights * WIC – Worker's Information Cente
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
* SICHREM – South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring * PW – People's Watch * MASUM – Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha * Dalit Foundation * HRA – Human Rights Alert * APDP – Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons * CSNR – Centre for the Sustainable Use of Natural and Social Resources * CCDS – Centre for Communication and Development Studies * Quill Foundation * READ – Rights Education And Development Centre * Jananeethi
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
* AJI – The Alliance of Independent Journalists Indonesia * HRWG – Indonesia's NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy – Human Rights Working Group * IMPARSIAL – Inisiatif Masyarakat Partisipatif untuk Transisi Berkeadilan * KontraS – The Federation of Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence * PBHI – Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association * SAMIN – Yayasan Sekretariat Anak Merdeka Indonesia * YLBHI – Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
* Human Rights Now
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
* KIBHR – Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law * KK – Dignity-Kadyr-kassiyet * ILI – International Legal Initiative Public Foundation
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the east. ...
* Bir Duino
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
* ERA Consumers – Education and Research Association for Consumers * SUARAM – Suara Rakyat Malaysia * KOMAS – Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat
Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
* MDN – Maldivian Democracy Network
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
* CHRD – Center for Human Rights and Development * GI – Globe International * NCAV – National Center Against Violence * PSR – Psychological Responsiveness NGO * MONFEMNET National Network r
Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
* INSEC – Informal Sector Service Centre * CSRC – Community Self Reliance Centre * KIRDARC – Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre * WOREC – Women's Rehabilitation Centre * YoAC – Youth Action Nepal * National Alliance for Human rights and Social Justice * JCYCN – Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
* Human Rights Measurement Initiative
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
* B4A – Bytes for All (ICTs for development, democracy and social justice) * NCJP – National Commission for Justice and Peace * PODA – Potahar Organization for Development Advocacy * SPARC – Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child * AWAZCDS – AWAZ Foundation Pakistan: Centre for Development Services * AWAM – Association of Women for Awareness & Motivation * The Awakening - A Society for Social & Cultural Development * Defence of Human Rights
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
* PAHRA – Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates * TFDP – Task Force Detainees of the Philippines * TK – Tanggol-Kalikasan – Public Interest Environmental Law Office * BALAOD Mindanaw – Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw * DAKILA – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism * KARAPATAN – Karapatan Alliance Philippines * LILAK – Purple Action for Indigenous Women's Rights
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
* Think Centre
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
* KHIS – Korean House for International Solidarity * PSPD – People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
* INFORM – Human Rights Documentation Centre * LST – Law and Society Trust * R2L – Rights to Life Human Rights Centre * RN – Rights Now Collective for Democracy
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
* TAHR – Taiwan Association for Human Rights * CW – Covenants Watch
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
* PEF – People's Empowerment Foundation * AWARD – Association for Human Rights and Women's Rights in Development * CRC – Community Resource Centre
Timor Leste East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-wester ...
* HAK Association – ''Perkumpulan Hukum, Hak Asasi dan Keadilan'' (Law, Basic Rights, and Justice Foundation) * JSMP – Judicial System Monitoring Programme
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
* VNWHR – Vietnamese Women for Human Rights


See also

*
Human rights in Asia The topic of human rights in Asia is one that encompasses an immense number of states, international governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. All these institutions contribute a variety of services and perspectives towards ...
*
Human security Human security is a paradigm for understanding global vulnerabilities whose proponents challenges the traditional notion of national security through military security by arguing that the proper referent for security should be at the human rather t ...
*
List of human rights organisations :''The list is incomplete; please add known articles or create missing ones'' The following is a list of articles on the human rights organisations of the world. It does not include political parties, or academic institutions. The list includes ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Asian Forum For Human Rights And Development (FORUM-ASIA) Human rights organizations based in the Philippines