The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has been organising the biennial Asian Regional Human Rights Defenders Forum (AHRDF) since 2001. From 1 to 3 November 2023, FORUM-ASIA alongside its Malaysian member organisations Pusat Komas and SUARAM co-organised the tenth edition of AHRDF (AHRDF10) in Kuala Lumpur, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
AHRDF10 provided a platform for human rights defenders (HRDs) from Asia and beyond to connect, share their experiences, and discuss their work and common issues. It facilitated an exchange of learnings, discussed the protection of all defenders, and celebrated the resiliency of HRDs as they navigate increasingly challenging contexts in the region. The forum also examined the usefulness of international and national human rights mechanisms to protect defenders as well as how human rights movements in Asia could collectively reclaim civic space.
This publication, ‘Summary report: 10th Asian Regional Human Rights Defender Forum,’ illustrates the forum’s main themes and key recommendations.
Read the full report here
