China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative: What Role for Southeast Asia?

China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative: What Role for Southeast Asia?

The role of Southeast Asia in China’s one belt, one road vision for its relations with Asia, Africa and Europe was the topic of discussion between Asia Centre and Dr. Wang Jianwei, Director of the Institute of Global and Public Affairs, University of Macau. China’s One Belt, One Road initiative was announced in 2013 by President Xi Jinping. It seeks to increase the connectivity between China and Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Major support mechanisms for this important initiative are China’s policy banks (China Development Bank and Exim Bank) that support a ‘going-out’ strategy, state-backed investment funds (including…

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Asia Centre Leads Discussion on Human Rights and Conflict Prevention at ICIRD 2017

Asia Centre Leads Discussion on Human Rights and Conflict Prevention at ICIRD 2017

Applying human rights principles in the development of early warning systems and indicators can bolster internal - conflict prevention processes and mechanisms. This was the key discussion point at the Asia Centre-Thammasat University panel on  internal conflict held at the  International Conference on International Relations and Development (ICIRD) on 24 June 2017. The panel entitled, Human Rights Violations and Internal-Conflict in Southeast Asia: Identifying Conflict Prevention Processes and Mechanisms, looked at the challenges and opportunities for internal conflict prevention from conceptual and practical perspectives.   Asia Centre’s Executive Director Dr Robin Ramcharan’s paper Human Rights and Conflict Prevention in Southeast…

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Violations by Businesses Against Human Rights Defenders An Emerging Trend

Violations by Businesses Against Human Rights Defenders An Emerging Trend

In addition to States, increasingly the office of the UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights defenders (HRDs) is using its mandate to hold businesses accountable for human rights violations. States no longer are the only violators, around the world violations against HRDs are also being committed by companies in the areas of mining and forestry as well as other sectors.   This was one of the key trends affecting the situation of human rights defenders Mr. Michel Forst highlighted during his public lecture at the Asia Centre. Over 70 people turned up to hear Mr. Michel Forst…

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Asia Centre Human Rights Briefing for Georgia Tech, USA

Asia Centre Human Rights Briefing for Georgia Tech, USA

  Asia Centre held a briefing session on 22 May 2017, in Bangkok, for visitors from the Southeast Asia Study Abroad Program of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs of Georgia Tech, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Dr. Robin Ramcharan and Dr. James Gomez led the briefing and discussions. Dr. Katja Weber led the group from Georgia Tech.   The session focused on challenges facing human rights protection and democratic transitions in ASEAN, and on contemporary governance challenges that affect human security including the difficulties of providing social protection. Institutional differences between ASEAN and other regional bodies…

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Civil Society Needs to Innovate to Combat Shrinking Space in Southeast Asia

Civil Society Needs to Innovate to Combat Shrinking Space in Southeast Asia

Civil society needs to innovate if it wants to step up to the challenges of shrinking space, this was the crux of Dr James Gomez’s vision for the future of human rights in Southeast Asia.     Dr Gomez shared his perspective at a public lecture hosted by the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science on 3 May 2017. Titled Civil Society and Shrinking Political Space: the future of human rights in Southeast Asia, the lecture attracted some 30 participants who were interested in the trajectory of human rights in a region that is slipping back into…

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