16th APF Annual Meeting and First Biennial Conference, 2011

Around 150 representatives from national human rights institutions, governments, civil society organisations and UN agencies from across the Asia Pacific region took part in the APF's first Biennial Conference.

The conference (7-8 September 2011), which had previously been held on an annual basis, is one of the largest regular human rights gatherings in the region. It followed the APF's 16th Annual Meeting (6 September 2011).

The APF Annual Meeting and Biennial Conference was hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand.

Conference

The 2011 Biennial Conference focused on progress and challenges in implementing the right to development.

Participants shared examples of good practice involving national human rights institutions and their role to monitor implementation of the Declaration on the Right to Development in their respective countries.

A series of parallel discussions drew on the expertise of national and regional non-governmental organisations on a range of related topics, including:

• Human rights defenders and the right to development
• The role of the media and development
• Natural resources and development.

The ideas and feedback from these sessions helped guide and inform the broader conference discussions.

As part of the two-day conference, participants also examined the situation facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Asia Pacific region, as well as steps being taken by national human rights institutions to advance their human rights.

In addition, a conference session explored the important and unique contribution that national human rights institutions can make to the work of the UN Human Rights Council.

The APF's Senior Executive Officers Network met on the first day of the conference.

Meeting papers and presentations

APF 16 Program

APF 16 Concluding Statement

Forum Council Meeting

APF 16 Meeting Papers

APF 16 Meeting Outcomes

Conference Presentations

Opening Remarks; Chairperson, National Reform Assembly

Keynote Address; President, Administrative Court of Thailand

Statements

Statement by the Government of Palau

Statement by the United Nations Population Fund

Statement by the Asian NGO Network on NHRIs (ANNI)

ANNI Statement on NHRIs and the Right to Development

ANNI Statement on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

ANNI Statement on NHRIs and UN Human Rights Mechanisms

ANNI Statement on Review of Kandy Program of Action 1999

ANNI Report 2011

ACJ Reference on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Response of the Australian Human Rights Commission

Response of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission

Response of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia

Statement by the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission

APF Senior Executive Officers Network

Meeting Agenda