The Chairperson of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Pravesh Sharma has been appointed as a member of the Human Rights Defenders Working Group.
The appointment was made on 24 March and Sharma is Oceania’s representative to the Working Group which consists of six senior executive officers of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from Oceania; West Asia; South Asia; and Southeast Asia.
In March 2021, the APF adopted the Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders 2021- 2025 (HRDs RAP).
The HRDs RAP sets up an agenda for action on behalf of the APF and its members to champion the rights of Human Rights Defenders across the Asia Pacific region.
The HRDs RAP also realises a key commitment of the APF and its members under the 2018 Marrakesh Declaration, which establishes a global framework of actions by National Human Rights Institutions [“NHRIs”] is to support the rights of HRDs.
The Regional Action Plan contains regional and national actions such as “engaging with regional civil society actors and international partners that the Asia Pacific Forum and its members will implement by 2025 to improve respect for the rights of defenders in the Asia-Pacific region.
National actions such as “promoting gender equality and mainstreaming, and the recognition of women Human Rights Defenders”, will be implemented by Asia Pacific Forum members with the support of the APF.
The role of the APF Working Group on Human Rights Defenders will be to provide strategic direction and leadership.
The term of appointment is until the Human Rights Defenders Regional Action Plan project is implemented.
