24th Informal Seminar on Human Rights:

“The Future of Human Rights – From Local to Global“ 

12-14 October 2026 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

[Call for Applications: Deadline Monday, 31 August 2026]

The human rights landscape across Asia and Europe is being reshaped by rapid technological change, shifting geopolitics, climate pressures, and evolving governance. While international human rights norms remain universal in principle, their enforcement is increasingly uneven and weakened by selective state compliance, resource constraints, and a fraying multilateral order. This leaves a persistent gap between agreed standards and the protections people actually experience on the ground.

Against this backdrop, the 24th Informal ASEM Human Rights Seminar will bring together government representatives, National Human Rights Institutions, civil society, academia, and international organisations from across Asia and Europe to translate discussion into concrete, actionable recommendations at the domestic, regional, and global levels. The focus throughout will be on identifying realistic steps to strengthen the current system, reinforcing its foundations rather than reinventing them, and renewing its relevance for the years ahead.

Discussions will be structured around three interconnected levels of human rights protection –global, regional, and domestic– reflecting the conviction that meaningful protection requires coherent engagement across all levels of governance and society. Participants will convene in dedicated working groups on each dimension, with findings presented in plenary to inform the Seminar’s overall conclusions.

Hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, in partnership with Mongolia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Seminar continues nearly three decades of open, inclusive dialogue under the ASEM Human Rights Seminar series, held in a location symbolically placed between the two regions.

Please refer to ASEMHRS24 – Concept Note for more details.

CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMME (15-16 October, Ulaanbaatar)

The Seminar will be followed by a capacity-building training programme (15–16 October 2026), open to selected Seminar participants, to further strengthen practical skills and follow-up action. Applicants can indicate their interest in participating directly on the application form.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The Seminar is designed for diverse stakeholders from across Asia and Europe. It particularly targets:

• Government representatives (particularly those engaged in human rights policy and implementation)
• National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and ombuds institutions
• Civil society organisations and human rights practitioners (including youth organisations working on human rights)
• Academics, researchers, and legal experts
• International and regional organisations engaged in human rights

PARTICIPATION,  ELIGIBILITY & FORMAT OF THE SEMINAR

• Relevant participants belonging to the civil society from Asia and Europe are selected by the Co-organisers either through a call for application or direct invitation. The civil society participants comprise human rights experts & practitioners from civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) & academia (universities, research institutes & think tanks)
• Representatives of ASEM Partners’ Ministries / government agencies are nominated by ASEM Partners.
• The Seminar also welcome representatives from National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), relevant international /regional / inter-governmental organisations, as well as from the private sector.
• The format of the 3-day Seminar consists of plenary sessions, expert panel discussions, and Working Group discussions which are held under the Chatham House Rule.
• Participants are expected to act as multipliers, sharing outcomes and insights from the Seminar within their own institutions and networks to extend its impact beyond the Seminar room.

All participants must be citizens of ASEM Partner countries, and working proficiency in English is also required.  A strong knowledge of and/or interest in human rights is desirable, and a willingness to actively share and contribute to discussion is encouraged.

TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION

The co-organisers will cover the following for all selected participants:

• Accommodation for the duration of the Seminar (and Training Programme)
• Meals as per the programme

For civil society representatives, the co-organisers will additionally cover:

• • Economy class airfare (point-to-point) to and from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, reimbursed up to a maximum ceiling.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Increased awareness and shared understanding of challenges and opportunities shaping the future of human rights protection across local, regional, and global levels.
• Identification of gaps, priorities, and forward-looking recommendations for action across government, NHRIs, civil society, academia, and international organisations.
• Strengthened collaboration and networks among ASEM partners to support ongoing cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and joint action across Asia and Europe.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants must complete the online application form here by:

Monday, 31 August 2026, 2026 (23:59 Singapore time)

NOTE: For those wishing to participate in the follow-up Capacity-Building Programme on 15–16 October, further details will be shared following an initial screening and once the Seminar application deadline has closed.

ABOUT THE ORGANISERS

The Informal Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Seminar on Human Rights series was launched in 1997 to strengthen relations between civil society actors and governments in Asia and Europe on human rights issues.

The Seminar series is organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), which has acted as Secretariat since 2000, with the support from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Supervision of the Seminar is entrusted to a Steering Committee, composed of ASEF and its supporting partners, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, the European Union, and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.

The 24th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights (ASEMHRS24) is hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.