On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It recognized that the promotion and protection of human rights are at the heart of freedom, justice, and peace.
This year sees the 75th anniversary of the UDHR. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has embarked on a year-long Human Rights 75 Initiative to rekindle the spirit, impulse, and vitality of the UDHR and renew a worldwide dedication to human rights.
The Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue is one of five regional dialogues mandated by the Human Rights Council to be held before the High-Level Event in Geneva in December 2023. The results will contribute to the High Commissioner’s Vision Statement for Human Rights and the 2024 Summit of the Future.
Regional human rights mechanisms are a crucial tool to advance the promotion and protection of human rights. To date, the Asia-Pacific is the only region that does not have a region-wide mechanism. With around two-thirds of the world’s population inhabiting this region and the diverse and complex challenges it faces, regional cooperation for human rights should be a priority for all.
With this in mind, the Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue looks to bring together Member States, regional organizations, national human rights institutions, UN agencies, Special Procedures mandate holders, civil society organizations, human rights defenders, youth organizations, academia, and more to accelerate the conversation on regional collaboration to advance human rights and make further advances to establish a regional human rights mechanism in the region in the spirit of the UDHR.
The Regional Dialogue will be conducted in English in a hybrid modality, both on and offline, with a limited number of places being available for in-person participation at the UN Conference Centre of ESCAP in Bangkok, Thailand. Only participants who receive confirmation from OHCHR will be able to attend in person.
