Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders Winner of the 2020 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award 2021 – 2025 We developed a Regional Action Plan to support human rights defenders Recent years have seen a sharp decline in civic space in many countries across the Asia Pacific, impacting the ability of human rights defenders (HRDs) to work safely and effectively. The COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted upon the work of HRDs, who face heightened threats to their security, wellbeing, and ability to speak out against human rights violations. The APF Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders responds to these challenges by setting out the regional and national actions that the APF and our members will carry out over the next four years to improve the rights of HRDs in the Asia Pacific. In March 2021, we launched the Regional Action Plan at a virtual event attended by more than 50 participants across the region. The event featured a keynote address by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, and guest speakers from NHRIs, civil society organisations and the international human rights community. The Regional Action Plan recognises the central role that NHRIs play in defence of HRDs and as HRDs themselves, outlining concrete steps that can be taken at the regional and national levels to protect and promote human rights in the Asia Pacific. 20 ASIA PACIFIC FORUM OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS In December 2020, the APF was announced as the winner of the 2020 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award. Established by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) in 2006, the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award honours individuals and organisations that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to advancing democracy or human rights through peaceful means in Asia. TFD Chairperson You Si-kun said that granting the award to the APF was in recognition of the organisation’s work in ensuring regional governments understand the significance of human rights implementation. “Receiving the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award will help us to continue supporting NHRIs in the Asia Pacific,” Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, Chairperson of the APF, said. “It will enable our members to continue their fight against injustices, to stand up for those in need of protection and to ensure that vulnerable groups have a say in decisions that affect them.” “It will also ensure that they can continue to drive genuine change, by influencing laws and policies, monitoring human rights violations and holding governments to account,” Professor Croucher said. The APF was formally presented with the award at a virtual ceremony held on Human Rights Day on 10 December 2020. ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 21