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This year is the 25th anniversary of the founding of DTP by Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of Timor Leste, José Ramos-Horta and Professor Garth Nettheim. We will be publishing a series of contributions reflecting on the new human rights challenges posed by political, economic, social and environmental changes since 1989 and what these mean for human rights and capacity building looking forward. We invite our readers and alumni to contribute to these reflections.

This issue we reproduce Global Trends and the Future of Human Rights Advocacy by David Petrasek that appeared in the 20th anniversary issue of SUR, the internal journal of human rights published by Conectas. The journal asked leading human rights experts to look at some of the most urgent and relevant questions facing the global human rights movement today: 1. Who do we represent? 2. How do we combine urgent issues with long-term impacts? 3. Are human rights still an effective language for producing social change? 4. How have new information and communication technologies influenced activism? 5. What are the challenges of working internationally from the South?

In his contribution Petrasek argues that

“… work to promote and protect human rights will increasingly need to shift its attention to sub-state levels of authority—provincial, regional, municipal—where power is actually being exercised …”

A number of events are planned for the 25th Anniversary of DTP, and among them we are delighted to be hosting the 1st DTP Fellowship Program later in the year. We are also focusing on improving our contacts with DTP supporters through an improved web site and the use of social media. We encourage you to take a look at and ‘like’ the DTP Facebook page.

DTP Programs: 2015 Draft Schedule - January 26-29 - The Human Rights of Migrant Workers – Sri Lanka – 2nd session - March 16-20 - The Human Rights of Migrant Workers – Sri Lanka – 3rd session - April/May - Human Rights and Development – Regional Capacity Building Program for Civil Society Advocates

– Myanmar. Click here for brochure and application form (deadline March 16) - May 11-14 - The Human Rights of Migrant Workers – Sri Lanka – 4th session - May with Oxfam – 1st Module: Rights and Advocacy - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Program

Australia - July 27-30 - The Human Rights of Migrant Workers – Sri Lanka – 5th and Final Session - August - September (3 Weeks) - DTP’s 1st DTP Fellowship Program (25th Anniversary) Australia

DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM E-NEWSLETTER March 2015 No 46 Email: dtp@unsw.edu.au | Website: www.dtp.unsw.edu.au | Phone: +61 2 9385 3549 | Fax: +61 2 9385 1778 Subscribe to the DTP E Newsletter Unsubscribe to the DTP E Newsletter

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- October - The Human Rights of Migrant Workers – Bangladesh – 1st Session - November/December - 25th Annual Regional Human Rights Defenders Program TBC

Please check the DTP website for details, program information and application forms. Please send enquiries to dtp@unsw.edu.au

Reports This report reflects on the Diplomacy Training Program (DTP) and Migrant Forum Asia’s (MFA) activities to

build the capacity of advocates for the rights of migrant workers in Asia and the Middle East since 2004.

The 2013 DTP Annual Report is now available

Lessons Learned on Capacity Building for Migrant Workers’ Rights – (Nov 2014) Summary of Dubai Workshop

24th Annual Regional Human Rights and Peoples’ Diplomacy Training Program – Nepal (Nov 2014), Executive Summary

4th Annual Middle East and North Africa Regional Training Program on the Rights of Migrant Workers – Kuwait, (Nov 2014), Executive Summary

Other Training Programs Applications open for the Bi-annual Workshop for Information, Communication, and Technology Capacity

Development for Independent Media, Community Health Workers, and Civil Society Organizations in Mekong Sub-region – June (with thanks to Chomphu Rammuang)

DTP trainers donate their time and expertise as do the many interns at the office who help with the DTP web-site, record maintenance and report-writing. However, in order to provide subsidies for the many applicants to DTP programs and to improve the frequency and quality of the programs, we need funding. Please send your donation to DTP now online, or by credit card or EFT with this donation form

Patrick Niebo from PNG is an alumnus of the 2012 DTP program in Timor Leste. He is now with the Ombudsman’s Commission. He calls on DTP alumni for help to develop strategies to defend the rights of women and girls.

Petition, Malaysia: People's Petition for Anwar Ibrahim's Royal Pardon

Urgent Action, India: Severe physical assault and arbitrary detention of human rights defender Mr Ajijul Haque

Urgent Action, China: Arrest of at least five women's rights defenders

Urgent Appeal, Indonesia: A farmer and environmental defenders activist murdered by Security Force of PT. WKS, a subsidiary of Asia Pulp and Paper

Action 2015 launched in Nepal: Action 2015, a movement of thousands of organizations, coalitions, partners and activists fighting injustice, inequalities, poverty and climate change all over the world

Action Appeal, India: Arrest and detention of human rights defender Kalimuthu Kandhasamy

Petition, across the globe, Nestlé is pushing to privatize and control public water resources. Tell Nestlé to start treating water like a public right, not a source for private profits.

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The Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center/HURIGHTS OSAKA celebrated its twentieth year of existence in December 2014. Chairperson Professor Kinhide Mushakoji reviews the past twenty year of the organization.

From Henri Tiphagne in India: Statement in Support of Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand

From Khon Ja in Myanmar: Call for justice for 2 Kachin Baptist Convention volunteer teachers who were raped and killed a month ago

Julie Turner is an alumna of a DTP Program in Alice Springs. She is an Indigenous teacher from the Northern Territory who lost a daughter to suicide. She recently presented a paper on Indigenous suicides in remote Indigenous schools to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. The response was very positive and a number of countries had indicated they intended to adopt and implement her recommendations into their countries.

DTP alumna Parimala Moses formerly of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress is now with Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility (CARAM Asia) a regional network working on migration and health issues

DTP alumnus Mong Marma has joined the Asian Indigenous Peoples’ Pact, a DTP partner.

Human Rights and Business New Principles and Guidance for Responsible Palm Oil Production

Myanmar: Foreign mining companies colluding in serious abuses and illegality

OHCHR Accountability and Remedy Project: Initiative to make domestic legal responses fairer and more effective for victims of business-related human rights abuses

UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights issues new study on “illicit financial flows” and their impacts on human rights

Climate justice and business - Who's doing what

Cambodia: Human Rights Watch report uncovers alleged abuses at garment factories that supply international brands; company statements provided

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Sabah, Malaysia: Indigenous women take lead and confront challenges facing their community

Securing Forests, Securing rights: Report of the International Workshop on Deforestation and the Rights of Forest Peoples

Insecurity among Indigenous peoples of Northern region of Bangladesh increased, demand for immediate formation of land commission to restitute the dispossessed

http://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section1/pdf/Focus78.pdfhttp://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section1/pdf/Focus78.pdfhttp://hrdaindia.org/?s=Statement+in+Support+of+Teesta+Setalvad+and+Javed+Anand&submit=Searchhttp://www.kachinnews.com/news/2736-kbc-urges-churches-worldwide-to-pray-for-murdered-teachers.htmlhttp://www.kachinnews.com/news/2736-kbc-urges-churches-worldwide-to-pray-for-murdered-teachers.htmlhttp://www.dtp.unsw.edu.au/file/488http://www.humanityunited.org/new-principles-and-guidance-for-responsible-palm-oil-production-2/https://www.amnesty.org/press-releases/2015/02/myanmar-foreign-mining-companies-colluding-serious-abuses-and-illegality/http://business-humanrights.org/en/ohchr-accountability-and-remedy-project?utm_source=Business+%26+human+rights+-+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=44c562d743-Weekly_Update_11_March_20153_10_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a0b8cd0d0-44c562d743-174570757http://business-humanrights.org/en/un-expert-issues-new-study-on-%E2%80%9Cillicit-financial-flows%E2%80%9D-and-their-impacts-on-human-rights?utm_source=Business+%26+human+rights+-+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=44c562d743-Weekly_Update_11_March_20153_10_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a0b8cd0d0-44c562d743-174570757http://business-humanrights.org/en/un-expert-issues-new-study-on-%E2%80%9Cillicit-financial-flows%E2%80%9D-and-their-impacts-on-human-rights?utm_source=Business+%26+human+rights+-+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=44c562d743-Weekly_Update_11_March_20153_10_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a0b8cd0d0-44c562d743-174570757http://business-humanrights.org/en/climate-justice-business-whos-whohttp://business-humanrights.org/en/cambodia-human-rights-watch-report-uncovers-alleged-abuses-at-garment-factories-that-supply-intl-brands-company-statements-provided?utm_source=Business%20%26%20human%20rights%20-%20Weekly%20Update&utm_campaign=e97b8c6c25-Weekly_Update_18_March_20153_18_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a0b8cd0d0-e97b8c6c25-174570757http://business-humanrights.org/en/cambodia-human-rights-watch-report-uncovers-alleged-abuses-at-garment-factories-that-supply-intl-brands-company-statements-provided?utm_source=Business%20%26%20human%20rights%20-%20Weekly%20Update&utm_campaign=e97b8c6c25-Weekly_Update_18_March_20153_18_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a0b8cd0d0-e97b8c6c25-174570757http://www.iwgia.org/news/search-news?news_id=1169http://www.forestpeoples.org/topics/rights-land-natural-resources/publication/2014/securing-forests-securing-rights-report-internhttp://www.forestpeoples.org/topics/rights-land-natural-resources/publication/2014/securing-forests-securing-rights-report-internhttp://landportal.info/news/2015/03/insecurity-among-indigenous-peoples-northern-region-bangladesh-increased-demandhttp://landportal.info/news/2015/03/insecurity-among-indigenous-peoples-northern-region-bangladesh-increased-demand

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Migrant Workers’ Rights UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons: Malaysia’s migrant workers often exploited, trafficked,

prostituted

Indonesia to Stop Sending Informal Migrant Workers Abroad

Indonesia: Banning migrant domestic work is short sighted, says activist

Malaysia decreases penalty for illegal migrant workers

The global plight of domestic workers: few rights, little freedom, frequent abuse

Vietnamese, Malaysian trade unions ink deal on protection of migrant workers

Women’s Rights UN Report: The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action turns 20

UN Expert Working Group: “A century of progress in women’s equality under threat in the name of culture, religion and traditions”

High-level Review to evaluate progress at all levels in implementing UNSCR 1325 on women, peace and security

UN ESCAP: Report of the Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment: Beijing+20 Review

Advancing Women’s Empowerment through Eliminating Discrimination in Rights to Housing, Land and Water

Disability JAKARTA ADDENDUM: To Address Overlapping Forms of Marginalization

UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality is now accepting proposals from women-led Civil Society Organizations to implement programmes to enhance women’s economic and political empowerment. Deadline April 3

Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Education in ASEAN/Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA) – Job openings: 2 program and 1 administrative officers, applications by 2 April

Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is looking for an Executive Director to lead its Secretariat office in Bangkok, Thailand. Deadline 12 April.

Amnesty International Annual Report 2014/2015

ICJ: Nepal, the Case of Colonel Kumar Lama - The Application of Universal Jurisdiction

New phone app from Geneva Human Rights Agenda: a tool for organizing work at the UN with up-to-date information on event dates, times and meeting documentation on a single platform

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/09/Un-report-migrant-workers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitterhttp://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/09/Un-report-migrant-workers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitterhttp://www.voanews.com/content/indonesia-stop-sending-migrant-workers-abroad/2659300.htmlhttp://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/19/banning-migrant-domestic-work-short-sighted-says-activist.htmlhttp://www.ekantipur.com/2015/03/18/capital/msia-decreases-penalty-for-illegal-migrant-workers/402962.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/17/global-plight-domestic-workers-labour-rights-little-freedom-abusehttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/150316/vietnamese-malaysian-trade-unions-ink-deal-protection-migranhttp://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/02/beijing-synthesis-report#viewhttp://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15653&LangID=Ehttp://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15653&LangID=Ehttp://www.sogosurvey.com/survey.aspx?k=SsSRTWRsRPsPsPsP&lang=0&data&utm_source=New+Website+List+2014&utm_campaign=715832ac7d-CTL_February2_26_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ad8fd35daf-715832ac7d-95287181https://www.womenpeacemakersprogram.org/assets/CMS/Resources/Brochure-Platform-2014-Engels-lr..pdf?utm_source=New+Website+List+2014&utm_campaign=715832ac7d-CTL_February2_26_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ad8fd35daf-715832ac7d-95287181http://www.unescap.org/resources/report-asian-and-pacific-conference-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment-beijing20-3http://www.unescap.org/resources/report-asian-and-pacific-conference-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment-beijing20-3http://globalinitiative-escr.org/advancing-womens-empowerment-through-eliminating-discrimination-in-rights-to-housing-land-and-water-2/http://www.dtp.unsw.edu.au/file/491http://www.unwomen.org/en/trust-funds/fund-for-gender-equality/grant-makinghttp://www.unwomen.org/en/trust-funds/fund-for-gender-equality/grant-makinghttp://www.ihrp.mahidol.ac.th/index.php/en/archive/10-lastest-news/146-shape-sea-job-openinghttp://www.ihrp.mahidol.ac.th/index.php/en/archive/10-lastest-news/146-shape-sea-job-openinghttp://www.seapa.org/?p=10810http://www.seapa.org/?p=10810https://www.amnesty.org/en/annual-report-201415/http://icj.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/LAMA-leaflet-print-final.pdfhttp://app.genevahumanrightsagenda.org/http://app.genevahumanrightsagenda.org/

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Reminder: Registration is now open for the 14th International Human Rights Colloquium in Sao Paolo in May

ASEAN Youth Forum 2015 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Deadline for registration 5 April.

Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Human Rights Council

Member States must cease detention of children, ensure their human rights – UN expert

Treaty Bodies Forthcoming review by ESCR Committee: Mongolia

UPR International Service for Human Rights Briefing Papers for October 2015 Session: Australia “Remove excessive

restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly”; Nauru “Lift the veil of secrecy on human rights”

Development World Bank President Kim Declines Meeting with Leading Critic of Human Rights Record

World Bank admits botched resettlement policy

'Statistics and Human Rights'. This is OHCHR’s contribution to the current discussion on the indicator framework for the Post-2015 development agenda.

Accountability for the Post-2015 Agenda: A Proposal for a Robust Global Review Mechanism

HRW: Tough road for Asia's women activists

Australia Amnesty International and 11 other Indigenous and legal organizations unite against harsh Western Australia

Bill

UN rights expert welcomes Victoria’s moves to repeal restrictive laws on protest

Joint NGO Submission to Universal Periodic Review of Australia 2015

UN finds Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers violates the Convention Against Torture

Attacks on Australian Human Rights Commission are part of a broader disturbing trend

Burma/Myanmar Myanmar ‘needs urgently to get back on track’ – UN rights chief

Fortify Rights: Free Prisoners of Conscience in Rakhine State

file:///C:/Users/GeorgesPC/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Word/conectas.org.br/coloquio/default.asphttp://www.123contactform.com/form-1346731/ASEAN-Youth-Forum-2015http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session28/Pages/ListReports.aspxhttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50285#.VQTke-Hpe-Uhttp://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=967&Lang=enhttp://www.ishr.ch/news/australia-remove-excessive-restrictions-rights-freedom-expression-association-and-peacefulhttp://www.ishr.ch/news/nauru-lift-veil-secrecy-human-rightshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/lesterfeder/world-bank-president-declines-meeting-with-leading-critic-of#.jaKV2BVojhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/04/us-worldbank-safeguards-idUSKBN0M01ZZ20150304http://unstats.un.org/unsd/post-2015/activities/egm-on-indicator-framework/default.htmlhttp://www.cesr.org/downloads/post-2015_accountability_proposal.pdfhttp://www.hrw.org/news/2015/03/11/tough-road-asias-women-activistshttp://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/36819/http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/36819/http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15638&LangID=Ehttp://hrlc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/UPR-Joint-NGO-Submission-for-Endorsement.pdfhttp://hrlc.org.au/un-finds-australias-treatment-of-asylum-seekers-violates-the-convention-against-torture/http://hrlc.org.au/attacks-on-our-human-rights-commission-are-part-of-a-broader-disturbing-trend/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50172#.VQEhmOHpe-Uhttp://www.fortifyrights.org/publication-20150314.html

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Statement from 130 organizations: Burmese government urged to cease the assault and arrest of students protesting in Letpadan and Rangoon

FIDH: Oral Statement on Burma/Myanmar at the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council

Linking Women and Land in Myanmar

Government Using Law to Crackdown on Protesters, Collect Personal Data Nationwide

Cambodia Report documents government’s ongoing failure to implement ICCPR

China China detains 5 feminist activists on eve of International Women’s Day

Indonesia NGO Open Letter: Stop executions, reinstate moratorium, and make progress towards abolishing capital

punishment

India Greenpeace India activist Priya Pillai prevented from leaving the country

Malaysia NGO Open Letter: Stop Arrests and Harassment on Those who Exercise Their Constitutional and Internationally-

Recognized Right to Freedom of Expression

Pakistan Front Line: Travel ban imposed on human rights defender Mr Mama Qadeer

Papua New Guinea Group attends UN meeting on women to discuss combatting Gender Based Violence

Thailand Open Letter to Thai Prime Minister: Killing of Mr. Chai Bunthonglek in Khlong Sai Pattana, Surat Thani

Asia Pacific Forum raises concerns over proposed merger of Thailand's NHRI with the Ombudsman’s Office

Front Line: Intimidation of members of Southern Peasant Federations of Thailand

March 2015 E Newsletter compiled, edited and designed by André Frankovits and Patrick Earle

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