The 11th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions will be see a gathering of more than 150 representatives of national human rights institutions, governments, non-government organisations. United Nations and other international organisations will also attend the meeting in Fiji. FORUM-ASIA's Anselmo Lee and Rashid Kang are attending the meeting, and have coordinated a collection of reports on the assessment of NHRIs of several Asian countries.The 11th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions will be hosted by the Fiji Human Rights Commission from Monday 31 July to Thursday 3 August 2006.

The APF’s annual meeting is one of the largest regular human rights events in the Asia Pacific. It is expected that more than 150 representatives of national human rights institutions, governments, non-government organisations and United Nations and other international organisations will attend the meeting in Fiji.

The program for the 11th Annual Meeting is a busy one. Day 1 is the Annual Business Meeting of Forum Councillors and Members. Day 2 is an open session for Forum Members and registered observers. Day 3 will focus on the ILO Conventions and the role of national human rights institutions. Day 4 of the meeting will address a number of issues including a NHRI-NGO discussion on human rights defenders and also economic, social and cultural rights.

A highlight of Day 4 will be the presentation of the Advisory Council of Jurists’ interim report on the Forum Council’s reference on the legal obligations of States for the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights, with respect to the right to education.

FORUM-ASIA is coordinating a collection of reports on the assessment of NHRIs of several countries in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

For more information, please see: http://www.asiapacificforum.net/annual_meetings/eleventh/