APF Community Contact us
News : Article

APF supports Indonesian NHRI leadership team

Graphic: Chris Sidoti in discussion at the APF High Level Dialogue

The newly-appointed Commissioners of Komnas HAM have taken part in a roundtable discussion on their plans to press for human rights progress.

The newly-appointed Commissioners of the Indonesian Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) recently took part in a two-day roundtable discussion that explored their unique role to press for human rights progress across the Indonesian archipelago.

The APF High Level Dialogue provided an opportunity for the seven Komnas HAM Commissioners, along with senior staff, to discuss the most serious human rights issues in Indonesia today and to identify priorities for action.

The discussions also considered the different strategies available to Komnas HAM to investigate and respond to human rights violations, including through national inquiries, and its role to protect human rights defenders.

Other topics included the practical role of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to engage with the State – including the government, parliament, judiciary, police and military – and with civil society and the community to promote and protect fundamental rights.

The new Komnas HAM leadership team, appointed in October 2017, is headed by Ahmad Taufan Damanik, an academic and long-time advocate for the rights of children.

His strong campaigning against the worst forms of child labour saw him appointed as Indonesia's Representative on Child Rights to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection on the Rights of Women and Children for 2013-16.

The APF High Level Dialogue, held in Jakarta from 26-27 March 2018, was facilitated by Rosslyn Noonan and Chris Sidoti, APF Expert NHRI consultants and former Commissioners with the NHRIs of New Zealand and Australia respectively, in partnership with Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).

The APF, in partnership with UNDP, also facilitated a Capacity Assessment Review with Komnas Ham between 23-27 April 2018.

Date: 23 April 2018


Image credits

  1. Chris Sidoti in discussion at the APF High Level Dialogue - Komnas HAM