Foreword For Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), the Asia Pacific has become an increasingly dangerous place. As supporters of a robust civic space and advocates of the most vulnerable and marginalised, HRDs today face an extraordinary set of challenges. I will continue to raise with governments this erosion of civil and political rights in many national contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities, with varied government responses across the region. Many defenders fear that the pandemic has offered a convenient foundation for governments to silence dissent and galvanise popular support for disproportionate restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association and movement. These fundamental human rights are essential for HRDs to be able to work effectively and in safety. Regional organisations such as the APF will be crucial in advocating for greater protections for HRDs and responding effectively to violations. I am encouraged to see the commitment from NHRIs in this Action Plan to pursue a protection and promotion agenda that will greatly improve conditions for HRDs throughout the Asia Pacific. In many places in the region, NHRI staff place themselves at enormous risk in their defence of human rights. Some have paid the ultimate price for their work. In June this year, two staff of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission – Fatima Khalil and Ahmad Jawed Folad – were assassinated by unknown assailants while travelling to the Commission’s office in Kabul. Sadly, the attack in Afghanistan is not the first time a staff member of an NHRI has been killed for their involvement in the protection and promotion of human rights, with a number of other NHRI colleagues having lost their lives in similar circumstances. These incidents serve as a heartbreaking reminder of the courage of NHRI staff and the risks that they face every day in the fulfilment of their duties. The situation of Women HRDs remains a great concern globally, as women defenders are often not only targeted for what they do, but for who they are. The situation of Women HRDs is highlighted throughout the Action Plan, with concrete actions proposed at regional and national levels. Many HRDs work at a local level, often in remote and dangerous locations where the apparatus of state protection is limited. Many of the national actions proposed under this Action Plan – such as advocating for better legal protections at the local level, strengthening of defenders’ networks, and the development of early warning systems to prevent violations – respond to the needs of these grass roots advocates, who have often been under the radar of many global and regional initiatives. Over the course of my mandate, I look forward to working with the APF and its member NHRIs on the implementation of this Action Plan, including through supporting HRD engagement in the international human rights system. As allies in the protection and promotion of HRDs, I am convinced that together we will be able to strengthen the protection of HRD rights across the Asia Pacific, and provide a platform for defenders’ voices to be heard. Mary Lawlor United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders 3