Coming Soon In Indonesia, climate disinformation is being used by state and corporate actors to justify the prioritisation of “national development” interests over Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) vulnerabilities. This developmentalist approach relies on the deliberate undermining of Indigenous practices as “obsolete” in favour of state-led “modern” development narratives, in particular through National Strategic Projects. As a result, climate disinformation leads to IPs’ marginalisation from environmental decision-making, the undermining of their traditional knowledge systems, as well as forced displacements and criminalisation of IPs. Collectively, these factors endanger IPs’ rights, identities, livelihoods and resilience. This report advances key recommendations directed at government institutions,…

Coming Soon In the Philippines, climate disinformation is being used by state and corporate actors to legitimise attacks on Indigenous Peoples (IPs).  By labelling those in opposition, such as IPs, as “terrorists”, some of the most vulnerable in these communities are subjected to extractive and ecologically destructive mining, the building of energy and infrastructure projects in ancestral lands among others. As a result, climate disinformation creates an information environment in which state violence towards IPs, in the form of militarisation in IP land, forced evictions, harassment such as “red-tagging” and extra-judicial killings, is justified. Altogether, these threats disproportionately endanger IPs’…

Coming Soon In India, both online and offline climate disinformation stands to dispossess the protected rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) who constitute 8.6% (104 million) of the population. False narratives in the media and social media legitimise the subversion of laws like the Forest Rights Act (FRA) intended to protect IPs, their lands and their livelihoods; and, instead, justify extractive projects in the name of national development. From one-sided positive presentation of environmental statistics and false climate solutions to strategic denialism and greenwashing, these narratives directly contribute to the criminalisation of IPs as “encroachers”, their forced eviction from ancestral lands,…

Coming Soon In Malaysia, climate disinformation aids the appropriation of Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) entitlements.  Although IPs are legally classified as “Bumiputera”, this category centres Malay-Muslim dominance by conflating the broad national category of Malay-Muslim as "Indigenous" with the international human rights concept of "Indigenous Peoples" reserved for non-dominant groups. This reinforces and intensifies the appropriation of IPs’s entitlements – who make up 11% of the population and largely reside in climate-vulnerable forested areas. Climate disinformation reinforces this identity hierarchy by falsely legitimising state control over IP territories and portraying extractive development as environmentally or socially beneficial. Amplified by the rapid…

Download Full Report In Thailand, the rapid digitalisation of media and widespread use of social media since the early 2000s have accelerated the spread of climate disinformation. This has reinforced the systemic negation of Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) identity. Climate disinformation disproportionately affects IPs, who make up nearly 14% of the population and inhabit forested areas most vulnerable to climate change and deforestation. From one-sided reporting and greenwashing to false climate solutions and scapegoating IPs as drivers of deforestation, these narratives contribute to their exclusion from decision-making, criminalisation, forced evictions and intimidation and violence. It sets out targeted recommendations, urging the…

Download Full Report In Cambodia, the rise of digital media and social media platforms since the mid-2010s has intensified a surge in climate disinformation. It affects Indigenous Peoples (IPs), who make up about 3% of the population and live in forests highly vulnerable to climate change and deforestation. From false climate solutions to greenwashing and denial of deforestation, these narratives contribute to IPs’ exclusion from meaningful climate discussions, land dispossession and the criminalisation and silencing of environmental defenders. This report explores how both online and face-to-face climate disinformation – often state-aligned – restrains IPs’ voices, discredits Indigenous knowledge and legitimises…

Download Full Report The increasing use of digital platforms for advocacy by women in Cambodia has been accompanied by a rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), a form of harassment perpetrated online. While all women and girls are at risk, those highly visible in the public sphere – such as women human rights defenders (WHRDs), Indigenous advocates, journalists, and civil society leaders – face heightened exposure. Despite its severity, TFGBV remains poorly documented in Cambodia. This report examines TFGBV targeting high-profile women in advocacy and argues that it is an extension of gender-based violence (GBV), sustained by patriarchal structures and…

Download Full Report Since the mid-2000s, the internet has shaped politics in the Asia-Pacific region. As internet and social media penetration increases, the risks for those using new technologies to advocate for public accountability have also increased. In 2022, the region accounted for 31% of global cyberattacks, with governments and proxies as key perpetrators. These attacks often target governments like Taiwan and in other jurisdictions, opposition politicians, civil society organisations and rights defenders. Methods of attack include digital surveillance, hacking and disinformation campaigns. Current mitigation efforts, such as VPNs and multi-factor authentication, are insufficient; and digital security is not prioritised…

Download Full Report Online Content Regulations in the Asia-Pacific: Limiting Civil Society’s Capacity to Hold Governments Accountable reviews laws enacted by governments in the Asia-Pacific region to regulate the online information sphere. These laws have been used to penalise content creators for incitement, defamation, or spreading fake news. At the same time, government authorities routinely order internet service providers and technology companies to block or remove online content considered sensitive or illegal. Some governments also impose internet shutdowns, particularly during politically sensitive periods, to control the flow of information. Trolling has emerged as a mainstream non-legal strategy to harass and…

Download Full Report Digital Security and Human Rights Defenders Landscape: Recommendations for NHRIs in the Asia-Pacific examines the challenges encountered by human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Asia-Pacific region within the context of the digital era, offering a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in safeguarding HRDs. In doing so, this report delves into the landscape of digital security threats arising from legal constraints, disruptions in internet accessibility, digital surveillance practices, and the proliferation of government-supported “cybertroops”. The examination of the initiatives implemented by NHRIs sheds light on their current institutional constraints. Recognising the critical…