Respect for human rights, rule of law, effective participation, and accountability of public institutions are some areas that lay the foundation for good governance. ASEF encourages informal, open and non-confrontational dialogue between government and civil society representatives in this field, through its current project series on human rights, public diplomacy, and democratisation and justice.
The Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights series is the central element of ASEF’s work under the theme of Governance. Initiated by the Foreign Ministers of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) at their first meeting in 1997, this Seminar series remains the only multilateral human rights dialogue platform between Asian and European government representatives and civil society members.
The 15th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights on “Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons” brought together 130 participants including civil society experts and senior government representatives from across Asia and Europe. The seminar helped in developing recommendations to strengthen human rights in relation to anti-trafficking measures. During the seminar, participants concurred that more focus needs to be directed at developing preventive action and victim protection strategies. 4 key aspects were highlighted for debate: preventive measures; protection and assistance of trafficked persons; access to justice, and international cooperation against trafficking. Mr Didier BURKHALTER, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, and Ms Madina JARBUSSYNOVA, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, were among the keynote speakers at this event.
Opening plenary session of the 15th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights.
Working Group discussions on protecting trafficking victims.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
ASEF supported the ASEAN Responsible Business Forum. Bringing together over 150 stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as civil society members, the forum promoted responsible business practices in Asia, especially in the post-2015 ASEAN Economic Community. Topics of discussion included sustainability of agricultural and extractive sectors, respect of human rights, anti-corruption initiatives, and decent workplaces. One of the side-events of this forum focused on “Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights”. The forum was an opportunity to present ASEF’s new publication on “Human Rights and Businesses”, which is based on the recommendations and discussions from the 14th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights that took place in November 2014 in Hanoi, Viet Nam.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative conducts trainings of young Asian and European diplomats engaged in public diplomacy efforts. Through interactive training courses, the Initiative aims to build young diplomats’ skills and improve further public diplomacy initiatives between ASEM partners.
The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative aims at improving the relations between Asia and Europe by enhancing public diplomacy efforts among the ASEM partners. It provides practical skills-oriented trainings with toolkits and modules designed by public diplomacy experts and practitioners, including senior diplomats, with the support of Asian and European diplomatic academies.
Over 100 young diplomats and professionals from the ASEM partners participated in the activities of the Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2015. The activities included an 8-week online training, 2 face-to-face trainings and a roundtable, “Asia in the Eyes of Europe, Europe in the Eyes of Asia: The Challenges of Public Diplomacy”.
During the trainings all participants learnt about the findings from Asia-Europe cross-perception studies conducted by ASEF and its partner organisations. Participants also interacted with public diplomacy practitioners and senior diplomats who shared their hands-on experiences in enhancing public diplomacy efforts among ASEM partners.
Participants at the 3rd face-to-face Public Diplomacy training.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
Dr Prashant SHARMA, Visiting Fellow from the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).
The publication, “Political Parties and Citizen Movements in Asia and Europe”, published in November 2014, looked closely at initiatives and activities undertaken by political parties in Asia and Europe related to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and citizen movements. It featured 8 different case studies from Asia and Europe, which highlight common issues, challenges and lessons that could be shared between the two regions.
In addition to the first successful launch on 27 February 2015 in Manila, the Philippines, co-hosted by Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party and Active Citizenship Foundation (ACF), additional launches were held on 20 April 2015 in Brussels, Belgium, hosted by Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) office in Belgium and on 25 June 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden, hosted by International IDEA.
Mr Sean O’CURNEEN CAÑAS and Mr Raul CORDENILLO (on behalf of the author Ms Sabrina GACAD) present their respective chapters featured in the publication in Stockholm, Sweden.
