The APF has convened a high-level dialogue with the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) to discuss the priorities of the institution and identify potential areas of APF support.

The two-day dialogue, held virtually from 9-10 February, provided an opportunity to engage with the NHRCT’s new Chairperson, Pornprapai Ganjanarintr, who commenced her role in late 2021, as well as Commissioner Wasan Paileeklee and NHRCT Adviser Rattikul Chansuriya.

The dialogue was facilitated by Pip Dargan, APF Principal Adviser on Capacity Assessments and International Engagement representing the APF secretariat, APF Expert NHRI Consultant Rosslyn Noonan, and Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit from the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.

"APF high-level dialogues are designed for NHRI leadership, especially new Commissioners, to discuss their unique role, mandate and priorities, and to share ideas on how to strengthen human rights protection within their country," said Ms Dargan.

"The dialogues are about learning from each other and planning a path forward for the NHRI,” she said.

The dialogue covered several topics relevant to the Commission’s work, including the national action plan on business and human rights, the rights of migrants during the pandemic, and transboundary issues.

It also covered the role of NHRIs in conducting national and public enquiries. During this session, Ms Gomez-Dumpit and Ms Noonan provided insights into their experiences overseeing national inquiries in the Philippines and New Zealand.

In 2019, the CHR held a national inquiry into the situation of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Philippines, in response to petitions and complaints alleging extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, threats, and other forms of harassment against HRDs. The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has previously held national inquiries into the rights of transgender people (2006-2007) and the right to adequate housing (2021).

The high-level dialogue also included discussions on the GANHRI accreditation process, as the Commission prepares for its upcoming sub-committee on accreditation in March this year.

The APF’s Legal and Policy Manager, Phillip Wardle, therefore delivered a presentation on the international accreditation process and outlined the APF’s legal and policy program of support for NHRIs.

Following the high-level dialogue, the APF has provided several proposals to support the NHRCT and will continue to engage with and strengthen cooperation with the Commission.