Chairperson’s message Highlights from 2020-2021 Winner of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy’s 2020 Asia Democracy Developed the In the past year, APF members have worked tirelessly to protect and promote human rights across the Asia Pacific. With the impacts of COVID-19 continuing to be felt across the region, and with an increase in threats to democracy and human rights in many countries, the unique role of NHRIs has been pulled into sharp focus. APF Community, an innovative online space We also adapted many of our other services to a virtual format, including our High-Level Dialogues, capacity development activities, and capacity assessment reviews, to ensure that we continued to support NHRIs while travel was not possible. During 2020-2021, we worked closely with eight NHRIs to develop a Regional Action Plan to protect and support human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Asia Pacific. The Regional Action Plan responds to many of the ongoing challenges facing HRDs, as well as new threats arising from COVID-19, where restrictions on freedom of assembly, freedom of movement and other fundamental rights have impacted their work. We also worked to bolster efforts towards gender equality across the region, by publishing a Gender Audit Toolkit with practical action steps for NHRIs. We established the APF Gender Network and facilitated the first session of the APF Women Leaders Forum, enabling women leaders from across the APF membership to discuss genderrelated issues. 8 ASIA PACIFIC FORUM OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS in recognition of our human rights work in the region Developed an Arabic version of the APF foundations course for learning, collaboration ‘Understanding NHRIs and resources and the Paris Principles’ to support our member I have been inspired by the courage and commitment of our members to fulfil their human rights mandate despite the many challenges this year has presented. Indeed, it is during such times of crisis and uncertainty that the work of NHRIs is needed more than ever. At the APF, we work to strengthen the ability of NHRIs to carry out their vital work. This includes providing advice to our members on accreditation, as well as supporting the establishment of new NHRIs. In 2020-2021, much of this support was delivered virtually due to ongoing pandemic-related travel restrictions. and Human Rights Award, institutions in West Asia With APF support, two institutions in the Asia Pacific We were honoured this year to have been presented with the 2020 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award, in recognition of our work to strengthen human rights in the region. We are deeply grateful to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy for this distinction. Over the last 12 months, we have learnt the true value of working in partnership and cooperation with each other to protect human rights. At the APF, we continue to encourage collaboration and exchange between our members, to enable the sharing of ideas and best practice examples. Across the rich social and cultural diversity of our membership, we continue to stand together in solidarity, committed to upholding and defending human rights in the region. region – the NHRIs of Fiji and Uzbekistan – were accredited by GANHRI for the first time. Created six online capacity development courses, delivered to 128 NHRI staff across Supported several Pacific Island the Asia Pacific region Published a gender audit toolkit to support NHRIs to promote gender equality and mainstream gender into their work nations, building momentum for the establishment of NHRIs in the Pacific sub-region Provided over 162 hours of advice to governments and members on NHRI legislation, as part of our program on NHRI establishment, and spent 210 hours supporting NHRIs with accreditation. Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM President, Australian Human Rights Commission Chairperson, Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions Transitioned to a fully remote workplace, enabling us to reduce overhead costs Launched the APF Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), which sets out the regional and national actions that the APF and our member institutions will carry out over the next four years to improve the rights of HRDs in the Asia Pacific ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 9