APF members to consider five-year strategic plan

The National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia will host the APF’s 15th Annual Meeting, to be held in Bali from 3 – 5 August 2010.

This year’s Annual Meeting will include discussion on:

• the draft APF Strategic Plan for 2011-2015
• the review of the ICC accreditation and General Observations
• thematic issues of common concern to APF members.

The program, background papers and member reports for the three day event are available are now available.

This year’s Annual Meeting will be attended by representatives from all 17 APF member institutions. Representatives from the national human rights institutions of Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman have been invited to attend the meeting as Observers.

Representatives from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Development Program, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and some regional civil society organisations will also attend as invited observers.

These Observer organisations will have the opportunity to advise APF members with information on international, regional and sub-regional developments that may assist the APF in framing its strategic objectives and direction

New format

Following a decision taken by the APF Forum Council in 2009, this year’s annual meeting will be separated from the APF conference. The two events had previously been held together.

The APF conference, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss human rights issues in the Asia Pacific region, will be held in conjunction with the APF annual meeting on a biennial basis from 2011.

This approach aims to refocus the annual meetings on their original purpose: to provide APF members with the opportunity to discuss the work and direction of the organisation, to share experiences and to develop and build relationships between peer institutions.

Sexual orientation and gender identity

In conjunction with the annual meeting, the APF’s Advisory Council of Jurists will also consider a reference on domestic laws and policies relating to sexual orientation and gender identity in the countries of the APF’s 17 member institutions.

The ACJ has been asked to provide advice and recommendations on the question of the consistency of domestic legislation with international human rights law.

Senior Executive Officers

In addition, there will be a meeting of Senior Executive Officers from APF member institutions to discuss their role in helping assist with the implementation of the APF’s Strategic Plan.