Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Southeast Asia

On 20 August 2021, Asia Centre will release a baseline study, “Infodemic” and SDGs: Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia, that evaluates the progress made towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 9.C (Access and Affordability of Internet) and SDG 16.10 (Fundamental Freedoms and Access to Information) and its impact on internet freedoms. The study analyses how the pandemic has exerted a debilitating effect onto the development of internet infrastructure, fundamental freedoms and access to information. Recommendations, in strengthening the framework and commitment towards the SDGs, are outlined in the baseline study. Research for the study was undertaken (15 January to 30 July 2021), and covers the period from March 2020 to June 2021 of the situation in the 10 Southeast Asian countries encompassing Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It examines the existing laws, new bills and emergency decrees and temporary laws. This report is a joint project with Thai Media Fund and the launch event is jointly organised with the Regional Human Rights Centre of Ubon Ratchathani University, Empower Freedom Defenders in East and Southeast Asia (EFDEA) and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD).

PROGRAMME

12.45 – 1.00 PM : Online Registration

1.05 – 1.15 PM : Welcome Remarks
Dr. Titipol Phakdeewanich, Director of the Regional Centre for Human Rights Study and Coordination
Dr. Robin Ramcharan, Executive Director, Asia Centre

SESSION 1 : Report Launch

1.20 – 2.00 PM : “Infodemic” and SDGs: Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia

Speaker
Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director, Asia Centre

Discussant
Dr. Sirinbhattra Sathabhornwong, Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University

SESSION 2 : Panel Discussion 

2.00 – 4.30 PM : Respect for Human Rights: Measurement and Implementation of Public Health Policy in Southeast Asia

Panelists

1. The Voice of Thailand
Assistant Professor Dr. Arunee Santhitiwanich, Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University

2. The Voice of Thailand’s Deep South
Abdulsuko Dina, Columnist at Matichon Weekly and Vice President of Civil Society Council of the Southernmost Thailand

3. The Voice of Singapore
Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director, Asia Centre

4. The Voice of Indonesia
Dr. Suyani Indriastuti, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Jember

5. The Voice of Malaysia
Dr. Benjamin YH Loh, Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University Malaysia

6. The Voice of the Philippines
John Philip Binondo, Assistant Professorial Lecturer, De La Salle University-Manila

Moderator
Ajarn Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat, Faculty of Political Science of Ubon Ratchathani University

Translators
Dr. Thanachate Wisaijorn, Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University
Assistant Professor Boonthiwa Paungklad, Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University

4.30 – 5.00 PM : Q&A Session

Sign up online here

Date: 20 August 2021

Time: 1.00 PM – 5.00 PM (Bangkok, Thailand GMT+7)

Registration from 12.45 PM

Contact: research@asiacentre.org