The APF and the Commonwealth Secretariat recently visited Bangladesh to provide support for the country’s new Human Rights Commission, established on 1 September.

Human rights defenders across the Asia Pacific continue to face intimidation, harassment and attacks because of their work and need greater support from national human rights commissions, NGO representatives told the recent APF Annual Meeting.

The APF is joining forces with the regional office of the UN Development Program to trial an innovative capacity needs assessment project to support and strengthen national human rights institutions in the Asia Pacific.

The OHCHR is providing representatives from national human rights institutions with the opportunity to see first-hand how the United Nations system works as part of a six-month fellowship program.

Scores of people have been killed and tens of thousands forced from their homes after fighting in the country’s south, says the Philippines Commission on Human Rights.

Recent changes to the ICC aim to help national human rights institutions work more effectively on the international stage and at the country level, says its Chairperson.