CPG Winter Academy on Human Rights & Development 2018
Agenda
Monday, 12 November 2018
Welcoming Words by Henning Glaser, Director, German Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG)
“Concept, Development and Critique of Human Rights” by Henning Glaser, CPG, Thammasat University
“Absolute Rights and Human Dignity” by Georg Schlüter, Consultant, Bangkok and Dr. Lasse Schuldt
CPG, Thammasat University
Lunch Break
“Mechanisms of Human Rights Protection (Part I)” by Dr. Michael Hayes, IHRP, Mahidol University
“Mechanisms of Human Rights Protection (Part II)” by Dr. Michael Hayes, IHRP, Mahidol University
Joint Dinner
Tuesday, 13 Nov 2018
“Counter-Terrorism & Human Rights in Southeast Asia” by Dr. Jayson S. Lamchek, National University of Singapore
“A Mechanism for Human Rights Protection: Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations” by Prof. Hitoshi Ushijima, Chuo University, Tokyo
Lunch Break
“Development & Environmental Rights” by Dr. Carl Middleton, Chulalongkorn University and Maureen Harris, International Rivers
“Information & Communication Technologies in Rural Development” by Assist. Prof. Dr. Terry van Gevelt, Hong Kong University
Wednesday, 14 Nov 2018
“Combating Corruption in Asian Countries: Learning from Success and Failure” by Prof. Dr. Jon Quah, Consultant, Prof. ret. National University of Singapore
“Anti-Corruption & Compliance” by Elodie Beth (UNDP Regional Hub, Bangkok), Cynthia Gabriel (C4 Center, Selangor, Malaysia), and David Lyman (Tilleke & Gibbins, Bangkok)
Lunch Break
Afternoon: Cultural Program
Thursday, 15 Nov 2018
“Defending Human Rights” by Remy Choo Zheng Xi, Peter Low & Choo LLC, Singapore
“Human Rights in Legal Practice” by Mark Daly, Daly & Associates, Hong Kong
Lunch Break
“Human Rights, Labor Rights & International Migration” by Anna Platonova, IOM, Mission in Thailand
“Business & Human Rights” by Daniel Polomski, IHRP (PhD Stud.), Mahidol University
Friday, 16 Nov 2018
“Children’s Rights and Child Exploitation” by Dr. Jompon Pitaksantayothin (Mahidol University), Veerawit Tianchainan (The Freedom Story, Thailand), and Andrea Varrella (ECPAT Internationa)
“Fighting Child Exploitation” by Bruno Desthieux (INTERPOL Liaison Asia/South Pacific), Joe Fonseca (FBI Assist. Legal Attaché, U.S. Embassy), and Apichart Hattasin (Former senior Royal Thai Police officer)
Lunch Break
“Civil society project development and implementation (Part I)” by Kelsey Atwood, The Asia Foundation, Yangon
“Civil society project development and implementation (Part II)” by Kelsey Atwood, The Asia Foundation, Yangon
Report
From 12 to 16 November 2018, CPG, in cooperation with the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) and with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation (Thailand/Laos office) organized the CPG Winter Academy on Human Rights & Development 2018 at the Faculty of Law of Thammasat University in Bangkok.
The CPG Winter Academy is a yearly one-week intensive course and provides comprehensive and in-depth knowledge on fundamental questions and current issues of human rights and development in theory and practice. It offers lectures, seminars, panel discussions, workshops and debates by internationally recognized scholars, practitioners, and representatives from international and state organizations as well as from non-governmental organizations.
The Academy is conducted in English and is suitable for students, young academics, practitioners and other interested persons who want to enhance their knowledge in the respective fields. Topics covered include human rights theories, institutions and mechanisms of human rights protection, human rights and anti-terrorism, migration and refugees, child protection, human rights in business, sustainable development, good governance and anti-corruption, and energy development and environmental justice.
On Monday, 12 November, Henning Glaser, CPG Director, opened the Academy with his presentation on “The Concept, Development and Critique of Human Rights”. He was followed by Georg Schlüter, Consultant, and Dr. Lasse Schuldt, DAAD Lecturer of Law, who engaged in a discussion titled “Absolute Rights and Human Dignity”. Dr. Michael Hayes, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, then informed the participants about “Mechanisms of Human Rights Protection”.
The second Academy day, Tuesday, 13 November, was opened by Dr. Jayson S. Lamchek, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, and his lecture “Counter-Terrorism & Human Rights in Southeast Asia”. He was followed by Professor Hitoshi Ushijima, Faculty of Law, Chuo University, Tokyo, who spoke about the JICA guidelines for environmental and social considerations.
In the afternoon, Dr. Carl Middleton, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, and Maureen Harris, Southeast Asia Program Director, International Rivers, Bangkok, provided insights into current developments regarding development and environmental rights in Thailand and Southeast Asia. After that, Assist. Prof. Dr. Terry van Gevelt, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Hong Kong University, introduced the participants to experiences in the use of information and communication technologies in rural development.
Wednesday, 14 November, was opened with the lecture “Combating Corruption in Asian Countries: Learning from Success and Failure” by Prof. ret. Jon S.T. Quah, consultant, retired Professor of Political Science, National University of Singapore. The topic was then further pursued by panel presentations on anti-corruption and compliance, which were delivered by Elodie Beth, Regional Advisor, Governance and Peacebuilding, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, Cynthia Gabriel, Executive Director, C4 Center, Selangor, Malaysia, and David Lyman, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins, Bangkok.
In the afternoon, the participants went on a joint trip to visit cultural sights in Bangkok.
On Thursday, 15 November, two experienced human rights lawyers introduced the participants to their work. First, Remy Choo Zheng Xi, Director, Peter Low & Choo LLC, Singapore, gave insights into the exercise of his profession in Singapore. Then, Mark Daly, Partner, Daly & Associates, Hong Kong, followed with his talk on “Human Rights in Legal Practice”.
The afternoon session started with the topic “Human Rights, Labor Rights & International Migration” which was presented by Anna Platonova, Senior Programme Manager, International Organization for Migration, Mission in Thailand. After that, Daniel Polomski, Lecturer, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, Bangkok, introduced the participants to the increasingly relevant field of business and human rights.
The last Academy, Friday, 16 November, started with a panel discussion on children’s rights and child exploitation, which was conducted by Dr. Jompon Pitaksantayothin, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Veerawit Tianchainan, Executive Director, The Freedom Story, Thailand, and Andrea Varella, Legal Programme Associate, ECPAT International, Bangkok. The same topic was then approached from the law enforcement side with three experts in the field: Bruno Desthieux, Crimes Against Children, Vulnerable Communities, Organized and Emerging Crime Directorate, INTERPOL Liaison for Asia and South Pacific, Joseph Fonseca, FBI Assistant Legal Attaché, Embassy of the United States of America, Bangkok, and Apichart Hattasin, former senior Royal Thai Police officer.
In the afternoon, a workshop on civil society project development and implementation, conducted by Kelsey Atwood, Governance Program Manager, The Asia Foundation, Yangon, introduced the participants to practical skills regarding the planning and implementation of projects which they had develop themselves.
After that, this year’s participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand received their certificates and the Academy was closed. See you again next year!
Photos
