Promotion of the Convention: Regional Trends in Asia

Paper / Presentation of Joey Faustino, Secretary General Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) World Congress on Enforced Disappearance - Asian Consultation

Good afternoon from the headquarters of AFAD in Manila. (Backgrounder) The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) was organized in 1998. Along with representatives from Latin America, Africa and Europe, AFAD became part of the inter-continental forum against involuntary disappearances in April 2000. The group presented the global phenomenon of involuntary disappearances at the halls of the United Nations during the 57th session of the *United Nations Commission on Human Rights. (*later replaced by the UN Human Rights Council in 2006)

Surface Environmental Defenders Eco Dangla III and Joxelle "Jak" Tiong

Update: ‘Bruised but alive’: Missing environmental activists in Pangasinan found safe, MAR 28, 2024 9:31 AM PHT, JAIRO BOLLEDO, Rappler. Click here to read article.

We vehemently condemn the abduction and enforced disappearance of Francisco “Eco” Dangla III and  Joxelle “Jak” Tiong on the evening of March 24, 2024 in San Carlos City, Pangasinan Province, Philippines.

Immediately release Irfan Mehraj – A call from civil society on the first anniversary of his continuing arbitrary detention

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, call for the immediate and unconditional release of Kashmiri journalist and human rights defender Irfan Mehraj. While on a professional assignment on 20 March 2023, Mehraj was summoned for questioning and arbitrarily detained by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Srinagar under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Bangladesh needs a democratic system and a robust judiciary to protect the rights of women and girls, must withdraw CEDAW reservations

A Joint Statement by the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Maayer Daak, and Odhikar on International Women’s Day 2024

 Bangkok/Dhaka/Manila/Paris (8 March 2024): The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, “Invest in women: Accelerate progress,” deeply resonates with the current situation in Bangladesh. Investing in women and girls means safeguarding their well-being, protecting their rights, providing inclusive economic opportunities, and promoting gender equality in all spheres of life. Regrettably, gender-based wage discrimination, sexual harassment in workplaces and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV), and insufficient provision of healthcare undermine the rights of the women workers.