and Liberties Protection Department of Thailand: Department of Local Administration and Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (public organisation): Department of Industrial Works; Office of the Administrative Court of Thailand; Office of the Official Information Commission; Office of the National Land Policy Board: and Royal Forest Department. Outputs Through the national activity, the Commission: ● ● ● ● Translated the Escazú Agreement and the Aarhus Convention into Thai Published a plain language document for communities on the right to a healthy environment, which will also be used in other NHRCT activities throughout 2023 Providing a forum for NGOs and CSOs working on environmental rights to raise concerns, share their priorities, connect with one another and develop coordinated engagement and advocacy efforts Prepared a report and recommendations for Thailand’s representative to the AICHR, drawing on the workshop proceedings, to support discussions on a possible regional framework on environmental rights. Communication and engagement Information in the lead-up to the workshops was shared directly with participants through email. This provided direct communication with stakeholders and the ability for them to respond with questions or to share information in return with the NHRCT. The NHRCT also used Line, the most popular messaging app in Thailand, to communicate with key civil society organisations before, during and after the workshops, Public information about the workshops was shared on the NHRCT’s Facebook page, including a large collection of photos from the events. The brochure on environmental rights will be shared with communities, civil society organisations and government authorities as part of upcoming NHRCT activities relating to community rights and the environment, to be held between May and December 2023. The brochure and the Thai language versions of the Escazu Agreement and Aarhus Convention are also available on the NHRCT library website and the NHRCT official website. Outcomes Through the initiatives that form its national activity, the Commission helped raise awareness and build knowledge within communities about national, regional and international instruments to promote and protect environmental rights, with a focus on access to information, participation in decision-making and access to remedies. Sharing information and resources with communities and civil society organisations also had a multiplying effect, with those partners sharing the resources locally and with NGOs and environmental human rights defenders across Thailand. The workshops offered community representatives and civil society organisations a forum to raise pressing issues for human rights and the environment, as well as to deepen their understanding of protection mechanisms in Thailand, South-East Asia and other global regions. There was broad recognition that a focus on law and policy reform is essential to secure meaningful change on access to information, participation in decision making and access to remedies. - 33 -