National human rights institutions from across Asia have agreed to work together to improve the living and working environments of migrants, following an international conference held earlier this month in Seoul.

The APF will travel to Pakistan next month to consult with government representatives and civil society on the establishment of its proposed national human rights institution.

Assessing the pros and cons of different approaches for independently monitoring prisons and detention centres in Indonesia was the focus of a recent conference and training workshop in Jakarta.

Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury, a former judge of the Supreme Court, has been appointed chairman of the newly formed National Human Rights Commission.

Early next year nine APF members will begin planning a common regional approach to address human rights issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.

The last year was the worst on record for human rights since the start of the Palestinian Authority, says the Executive Director of the PICHR.