1. Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center (HURIGHTS OSAKA) Jefferson R. Plantilla

2. Background In 1983, a Japanese United Nations officer made a plea for Japan to help promote human rights in Asia-Pacific on the strength of the local people and the government. That plea started a decade-long lobbying and preparation for the establishment of a human rights center with Asia-Pacific focus.

3. Background The 1983 plea could have been influenced by the United Nations resolution to explore the establishment of a regional human rights mechanism in the Asia-Pacific. The 1982 Asian workshop in Colombo, Sri Lanka was the first of such regional initiatives of the United Nations on human rights protection and promotion in the Asia-Pacific.

4. December 1994 - formal opening of the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center

5. Characteristics HURIGHTS OSAKA - established on the strength of the civil society movement and local governments in Osaka. - a local institution with a regional (Asia- Pacific) perspective.

6. Support from the United Nations

7. Objective To promote human rights in the Asia-Pacific in support of the proposal for the establishment of a human rights mechanism in the region. While the idea of a regional human rights mechanism for the whole Asia-Pacific has largely been set aside, promoting human rights in the region by itself is a necessity.

8. Elements  Resources on human rights - how to manage them toward practical use  Linkages on human rights - how to maximize their existence by oAvoiding overlap oCreating complementary synergy oFacilitating mutually energizing efforts.

9. Concerns How to:  Demystify human rights  Attract attention to human rights  Recognize and popularize human rights practices  Provide practical materials on human rights

10. HURIGHTS OSAKA INFORMATION CENTER SYSTEM

11. - Publications - newsletters, books, education materials - Internet/online information - e-mail listserv and website - Seminars and discussion sessions - Participation in meetings, workshops and conferences - Training activities - Study tours Dissemination of Information

12. Documentation - Experiences and perspectives

13. Research - Educational policies

14. Research - Educational policies

15. Research - Educational policies

16. Other research projects - Human rights and culture - Human rights and law, jurisprudence - Human rights and development

17. Publications - Education materials

18. Publications - Human rights education materials

19. Special Project - Human rights centers in Asia-Pacific Wiki version Website version

20. Publications - quarterly newsletter

21. Website

22. Training Workshops, Conferences, Meetings 2006 Conference on Human Rights Education 2005 South Asia Workshop 2005 Southeast Asia Workshop 2011 Northeast Asia Meeting

23. Regional Program Implementation a. Subregional approach - program undertaken through partners in each subregion b. Programmed activities for each subregion - steps consist of 1) consultation workshop, 2) training workshop, 3) material development, and 4) training workshop

24. Partners 1. Non-governmental organizations 2. National human rights institutions 3. Government agencies - Ministry of Education 4. Human rights centers 5. International organizations

25. Working with Other Institutions Asian Consortium for Human Rights-based Access to Justice Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding FORUM Asia

26. Domestic Activities Publications

27. Domestic Activities Video/DVD

28. Human Rights Centers 1. Provide information 2. Undertake research 3. Hold activities (meetings, symposiums, training workshops, etc.) for the general public or specific sectors

29. Human Rights Centers Types: NGO centers University-based centers Government-supported centers

30. Human Rights Centers in Asia-Pacific  Human rights centers in Asia- Pacific - NGO-based - University-based - Government- supported Source: Directory of Human Rights Centers in the Asia-Pacific - www.hurights.or.jp/english/directory-of- hr-centers.html

31. Human Rights Centers in Asia-Pacific Years in Operation Centers Established per Year

32. Human Rights Centers in Asia-Pacific Source: Directory of Human Rights Centers in the Asia-Pacific - www.hurights.or.jp/english/directory- of-hr-centers.html

33. Some Notes on the Human Rights Centers  Focus on different concerns (human rights issues, human rights work, specific rights)  Promotion by different institutions (Ministry of Law and Justice - Indonesia, national human rights institutions - Philippines and South Korea, NGOs)  Involvement of varied fields (academic, human rights practice, governance)  Existence at various levels - local, national, regional levels

34. Challenges Political environment existence of government policies that violate human rights in some countries lack of continuity in policies and programs Socio-cultural environment “Asian values” debate

35. Challenges Lack of coordination Existence of resources that are not shared to appropriate institutions Lack of mechanisms for such sharing of resources Continuing lack of trust among government and non-governmental entities

36. Final Notes Human rights centers Must be able to cross networks/fields/sectors to obtain and disseminate human rights resources Must be able to dig out “gems” (human rights resources) that exist in various forms and in the files of various institutions

37. ขอบคุณมาก Kob Kun Ma Krap