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Sustainable Development in ASEAN
APHR Annual Members’ Forum 2023 in Jakarta

The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Members’ Forum, took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from 3-5 March 2023.

APHR Annual Members’ Forum 2023 in Jakarta

APHR

The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Members’ Forum, took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from 3-5 March 2023. The APHR Members Forum brought together over 30 current and former parliamentarians from eight Southeast Asian countries and beyond to discuss critical concerns related to the state of democracy and human rights in the region. It also provided an opportunity for APHR’s wider membership to discuss ways to strengthen APHR and their interaction with it.

In the face of threats to democracy and shrinking civic space, the work of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights and the regional solidarity and collaboration between rights-minded parliamentarians in Southeast Asia through venues such as this Forum is highly critical and timely. The APHR Members’ Forum was intended to be a relatively informal gathering, where APHR members can share and learn from each other and discuss key issues and contribute to shaping the organization moving forward. It also provided opportunities for individual members to strengthen their own networks in order to support their work and advocacy to promote democracy and human rights in their countries and the region.

Dr. Axel Neubert, Resident Representative of HSF Thailand during opening speech

APHR

Objectives of the Forum:

   •  APHR members shared their experiences and advocacies in promoting human rights and democratic principles;

   •  APHR Members input into APHR’s priorities, strategies and ways of working;

   •  APHR Members contributed to the discussion on various human rights issues and come up with strategic recommendations; and

   •  APHR Members expanded their regional network and build solidarity across the region.

The regional forum primarily discussed a range of human rights and democracy issues ranging from the Myanmar crisis, hate speech and disinformation, continuing political repression and shrinking and closing civic spaces in the region, climate change, and refugee and migrants’ rights. The forum ran for two and a half days with a mixed methodology of roundtable discussion, exposure trip, plenary presentations, and working group planning sessions.

(From left to right) Hon. Mu Sochua, Hon. Mercy Chriesty Barends and Hon. Wong Chen, MPs from ASEAN countries in a roundtable discussion on the state of democracy and human rights in the ASEAN Region

APHR

The regional forum primarily discussed a range of human rights and democracy issues ranging from the Myanmar crisis, hate speech and disinformation, continuing political repression and shrinking and closing civic spaces in the region, climate change, and refugee and migrants’ rights. The forum ran for two and a half days with a mixed methodology of roundtable discussion, exposure trip, plenary presentations, and working group planning sessions.

A roundtable dialogue was held on Day 1 on the International Parliamentary Inquiry Report on Myanmar together with Indonesian Members of Parliament followed by a meeting with the Indonesian Foreign Minister to raise urgent concerns on ASEAN issues. Day 2 focused on raising awareness and sharing of information among MP participants on their key advocacy and parliamentary work including an exposure trip to meet with residents of the Tanjung Priok (canalside community) affected by floods over the years. It ended on Day 3 where MP participants joined planning sessions on thematic issues to discuss priorities and strategies for the year.