The Forum Council is the decision-making body of the APF. Established by the APF Constitution the Forum Council operates as the APF's 'board of directors'.

The Forum Council sets the APF's policies and priorities, decides membership applications and exercises all the powers set out in the constitution.

The Forum Council is made up of senior representatives from the APF's full member institutions. Each full member nominates one voting councillor to participate on the Forum Council.

Forum Councillors can establish 'committees of councillors' to administer different aspects of the APF's operations. For example, a management committee has been established to oversee the operations of the APF.

They can also establish 'advisory committees' to examine issues and provide opinions and advice to the APF, such as the Advisory Council of Jurists.

Leadership

Forum Councillors elect a Chairperson and two Deputy Chairpersons. The Chairperson acts as the official spokesperson of the APF. These positions are held on a one-year rotating basis.

The host institution of the current APF annual meeting is normally elected Chairperson of the Forum Council. The institution that hosted the previous annual meeting and the host institution for the next annual meeting are normally elected Deputy Chairpersons.

The Jordan National Centre for Human Rights currently chairs the Forum Council. The two Deputy Chairpersons are the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia and the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand.

Meetings

The Forum Council meets each year as part of the APF Annual Meeting and on other occasions as required. A copy of the APF Rules of Procedures for Forum Councillors' Meetings is also available in the Annual Meetings section.

2009 Forum Councillors

Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission

Dr Sima Samar

Australian Human Rights Commission

The Hon. Catherine Branson QC, Deputy Chairperson

Australian Human Rights Commission

Ms Susan Roberts (non-voting councillor)*

National Human Rights Commission of India

Justice S. Rajendra Babu

Indonesian National Human Rights Commission

Mr Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia

Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia

Ms Daramjav Solongo

National Human Rights Commission of Nepal

Justice Kedar Nath Upadhyay

Human Rights Commission of New Zealand

Ms Rosslyn Noonan

Philippines Commission on Human Rights

Ms Leila de Lima

National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea

Professor Kyong-Whan Ahn

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka

Justice Sivaramalingam Anandacoomaraswamy

National Human Rights Commission of Thailand

Professor Saneh Chamarik

Timor Leste Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice
Mr Sebastio Dias Ximenes

*As the APF is a company limited by guarantee under the Australian Corporations Law, it is required to have at least two Australian board members. Only one of the Australian Forum Councillors has voting rights.