The 29th APF Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 24-25 September 2024, brought together representatives from APF member institutions and observers from the Asia Pacific region.

On the first day of the meeting, members addressed key business items, including the presentation of the APF’s annual performance and gender performance reports. Elections were also held for various leadership positions within the APF.

Ms Samar Haj Hasan, Chairperson of the Jordan National Centre for Human Rights, was elected as the new APF Chairperson. She will lead the APF Governance Committee for the next two years, along with Dr Atnike Nova Sigiro, Chairperson of the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), who was elected APF Deputy Chairperson.

Joining them on the APF Governance Committee are Mr Ahn Chang Ho, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea; Ms Rabiya Javeri Agha, Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights in Pakistan; and Mr Richard P. Palpal-Latoc, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.

APF Forum Councillors also elected the NHRIs of Jordan and Pakistan as representatives to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) Bureau, joining Australia and India, who have two years remaining in their terms.

The National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan was welcomed as the APF’s newest A-status member, while the Ombudsman of Uzbekistan was admitted as a B-status member.

The second day featured presentations by APF members on thematic human rights priorities and included a parallel session for APF Senior Executive Officers.

Looking ahead, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission was selected to host the APF's 30th AGM and Biennial Conference in 2025.