ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People Forum 2024
WS23-CS2: People to People for Justice: Challenging the Norms of Human Security, Peace, Gender Equality, and Accountability in ASEAN
Dili, 19 – 21 September 2024

On Friday 20, September 2024
Start at 13:30 to 15:30 PM Timor-Leste Time
Venue: Escola Secundaria Tecnica Vocacional Grupo de Tecnologia e Industria (ESTV-GTI) Becora

Moderator
Nadine Sherani – International Advocacy Officer
The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)

Speaker 1 :Safina Maulida – Program Manager, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
Speaker 2 :Ma Aye Saung – Adviser, Women Advocacy Coalition (WAC) Myanmar
Speaker 3 : May – Project Coordinator, Justice & Equality Focus (JEF)
Speaker 4 : Mulan – Human Rights Defender, Blood Money Campaign (BMC)

Summary

The workshop is set to address fundamental difficulties encountered by people’s movements in Southeast Asia, including peacebuilding, conflict resolution & prevention, justice and accountability. Within ASEAN, the pronounced lack of functional, independent, impartial institutions and mechanisms stymies progress toward resolving the dispute and holding human rights violators accountable. 

The workshop is based on the premise that in order to establish and maintain people-led democracy, human security, and peace, state and non-state actors must first seek justice for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and atrocity crimes.

It will spotlight peoples’ experiences under repressive and authoritarian systems and amid gross human rights violations, as well as their sacrifices and immense efforts towards a peaceful, rights-respecting regional society. Through identifying gaps within regional justice institutions and mechanisms, and forging partnerships among civil society and other movements, these movements have exceptionally contributed to the advancement and guarantee of justice and human security in their country through the reforming and strengthening of political systems that prioritize human rights and security. 

To provide an enabling, safe place for human rights defenders, activists, and civil society actors across the region and beyond to talk openly about the human rights situation in their various countries and stand in solidarity with one another. 

To make recommendations to ASEAN and the world on how to resolve the escalating human rights crises and suffering, which would have cross-border consequences and will focus on international human rights requirements such as the responsibility to protect, violence prevention, resistance, and peacebuilding.