Asia Centre is a civil society research institute in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC).

The Centre’s core activities involve research, training, advocacy and media initiatives, having its programmatic priorities on four key constitutional liberties as enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR): freedom of religion or belief (Article 18), freedom of expression (Article 19), freedom of association (Article 20) and the right to political participation (Article 21).

Asia Centre collaborates with civil society organisations, developmental aid agencies, diplomatic missions, government institutions, international non-governmental organisations, UN agencies to advance the cause of democracy and human rights.

It operates from its AI Hub and Research Hub in Bangkok (Thailand), Media Hub in Johor Bahru (Malaysia) and Training Hub in Phnom Penh (Cambodia).