Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
A membership-based Asian human rights network supporting regional advocacy, protection, capacity building and the right to development.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, commonly known as FORUM-ASIA, is a regional, membership-based human rights organisation working with civil-society groups across Asia. It was established in Manila in December 1991 after a consultation on cooperation among human rights organisations in South and Southeast Asia. The founding meeting brought together 19 organisations from nine countries, with the intention of creating an Asian-led platform for collaboration rather than relying primarily on institutions based in Europe or North America. The organisation’s mandate combines human rights and development. Although its practical work has concentrated mainly on human rights protection and advocacy, its founders treated rights, poverty, inequality, economic development and globalisation as interconnected issues. FORUM-ASIA states that it seeks an Asian society in which human rights are respected and realised in accordance with international standards, with particular attention to people and communities facing marginalisation. The network initially concentrated on strengthening the capabilities of member organisations. Its early work included training in fact-finding, documentation and other technical skills used to investigate abuses and support victims. During the 1990s, its role broadened to include country missions, human rights education, women’s rights programmes, diplomacy, public campaigning and engagement with intergovernmental institutions. Participation in the regional preparatory process for the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights helped establish advocacy as a central part of its work. FORUM-ASIA also became an incubator and convening platform for issue-specific regional networks. It contributed to the development of initiatives connected with Burma, election monitoring, the International Criminal Court, national human rights institutions, refugees’ rights and cross-sectoral civil-society advocacy. This network-building role allowed organisations from different countries and fields to coordinate around common priorities while retaining their own institutional independence. The organisation’s regional secretariat was opened in Bangkok in 1992 and was initially hosted by the Union for Civil Liberty, one of the founding members. Following organisational reforms in the early 2000s, FORUM-ASIA developed an independent office structure and adopted the stylised name FORUM-ASIA. It later established offices or permanent presences in Geneva, Jakarta and Kathmandu. The Geneva office supports engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms, while the Jakarta office focuses particularly on ASEAN institutions and regional human rights developments. The Kathmandu office was established to strengthen work with members and partners in South Asia. In 2000, the Forum-Asia Foundation was formally registered, enabling the organisation to pursue institutional development and international recognition. In 2004, FORUM-ASIA received consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. This status provides access to relevant UN bodies, human rights mechanisms and related international processes, allowing the network to bring member concerns into global advocacy forums. The organisation operates through member organisations rather than as a conventional commercial brand. Its work includes collective advocacy, protection and emergency support for human rights defenders, documentation and research, training, coalition building, engagement with UN and ASEAN mechanisms, and support for national and regional human rights institutions. Public descriptions identify a network of approximately 85 member organisations in 23 Asian countries, although membership figures can change over time. FORUM-ASIA’s present identity is therefore that of a regional civil-society infrastructure organisation: it connects local and national groups, helps them engage regional and international institutions, and promotes collective action on human rights and development.
History
FORUM-ASIA originated in a December 1991 consultation in Manila titled around collaboration among human rights organisations in South and Southeast Asia. The meeting was inspired in part by D.J. Ravindran, then a former International Commission of Jurists legal officer for Asia, who had consulted organisations in several countries before the gathering. Nineteen organisations from nine countries became the network’s founding members. Their objective was to improve the effectiveness of Asian human rights organisations and facilitate cooperation among them. The network’s name deliberately joined human rights and development. Founding organisations recognised that violations were linked to inequality, economic exclusion and development policies, even though the organisation’s subsequent programming remained primarily focused on human rights. The Union for Civil Liberty in Bangkok hosted the regional secretariat, which opened in 1992. Songphorn Tajaroensuk became the first Secretary General. The first major programme was a 1992 Manila training course on fact-finding and documentation of human rights violations, jointly organised with Philippine member organisations. During its first years, FORUM-ASIA emphasised training, information sharing and technical support. Its role expanded in 1993 when it participated in the Asian regional preparatory process for the World Conference on Human Rights. This engagement connected the network’s member concerns to international diplomacy and helped make advocacy a permanent part of its work. At the first General Assembly, held in Thailand in October 1994, members reviewed the network’s initial operations and voted to continue and broaden the organisation. They also supported the creation of a permanent secretariat, although the network remained an unregistered association hosted by the Union for Civil Liberty for a period. The second half of the 1990s brought new programmes on women’s human rights, human rights education, diplomacy and campaigning. A 1995 mission to Burma assessed conditions and explored ways of supporting local advocacy. In 1996, FORUM-ASIA participated in the formation of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma. It also helped convene or incubate regional initiatives dealing with election observation, the International Criminal Court and other issues. The Asian Network for Free Elections was established in 1997, and FORUM-ASIA later participated in the NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court. Institutional development accelerated around the turn of the century. The Forum-Asia Foundation was registered in 2000. Following a two-year application process, the organisation received consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council in 2004. This recognition expanded its ability to participate in UN processes and advocate for accountability by Asian governments before international human rights mechanisms. An organisational evaluation and a 2003 project called Transforming the Secretariat led to structural reform. At the 2004 General Assembly, members approved the creation of an executive director position. Anselmo Lee became the first holder in January 2005. The network then developed an independent office structure and adopted the stylised FORUM-ASIA name. Its strategic emphasis increasingly moved from basic capacity building toward protection, international advocacy, coalition building and collective action. The Geneva office was established in 2006 to strengthen advocacy before UN bodies and encourage accountability through UN human rights mechanisms. The same year, FORUM-ASIA was involved in the creation of Solidarity for Asian People's Advocacy and the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions. In 2008 it helped establish the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, hosted its first coordinator from 2010 and supported the network during its formative period until it became independent in 2012. A Jakarta office was established in 2010, hosted by Indonesian member organisation KontraS, to monitor ASEAN developments and engage with institutions such as the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. In 2013, a new management team led by Evelyn Balais-Serrano began a further period of strategic review. The Glo-cal Advocacy Leadership in Asia Academy was launched that year with the Asian Development Alliance and Asian Democracy Network to improve the international advocacy skills of civil-society leaders. In 2015, FORUM-ASIA established a Kathmandu office hosted by founding member INSEC, reinforcing its South Asian presence. Across these phases, the organisation evolved from a small technical-support network into a multi-office regional platform connecting Asian civil society with ASEAN and United Nations advocacy systems.
- 2015
Kathmandu office established
[1]A Nepal office hosted by INSEC strengthened the network’s South Asian coordination and advocacy.
- 2013
GALA Academy launched
[1]FORUM-ASIA joined partner networks to create a leadership and advocacy academy for civil-society organisations.
- 2010
Jakarta office established
[1]A Jakarta office began monitoring ASEAN developments and supporting advocacy concerning regional human rights bodies.
- 2006
Geneva office established
[1]The Geneva presence was created to improve engagement with UN human rights institutions.
- 2005
Executive director role created
[1]Anselmo Lee became the first executive director during a restructuring that also supported an independent secretariat.
- 2004
Received UN ECOSOC consultative status
[1]Consultative status increased FORUM-ASIA’s access to UN bodies and human rights mechanisms.
- 2000
Foundation registered
[1]The Forum-Asia Foundation was formally registered as part of the organisation’s institutional development.
- 1994
First General Assembly
[1]Members reviewed the network’s first three years and resolved to continue and expand its operations.
- 1993
Expanded into international advocacy
[1]The organisation participated in the Asian preparatory process for the World Conference on Human Rights.
- 1992
Bangkok secretariat opened
[1]The regional secretariat began operating in Bangkok under the hosting of the Union for Civil Liberty.
Products and positioning
An Asian-led regional network that links local and national civil-society organisations with regional and international human rights advocacy systems.
Product categories. Human rights advocacy · Protection and support for human rights defenders · Human rights education and training · Fact-finding and documentation · Regional coalition building · Engagement with UN and ASEAN human rights mechanisms · Research and policy analysis
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Glo-cal Advocacy Leadership in Asia Academy
Asia
The academy was created with the Asian Development Alliance and Asian Democracy Network to strengthen the international advocacy capabilities of civil-society staff.
- 1996Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma
Southeast Asia
FORUM-ASIA participated in establishing a regional network supporting human rights and democracy initiatives concerning Burma.
Outcome. The initiative became a separate regional advocacy network.
Brand decisions
2006
Established a Geneva advocacy officeStrategyBackground
UN engagement had become a central part of FORUM-ASIA’s work after it received ECOSOC consultative status.
Action taken
The organisation opened a Geneva office to support advocacy before UN human rights mechanisms and promote accountability by Asian states.
Aftermath
Geneva became a permanent base for linking member organisations with international human rights processes.
2004
Shift toward a permanent and internationally engaged secretariatStrategyBackground
Reviews of the network identified the need to strengthen its institutional structure and connect local activism more effectively with regional and global advocacy.
Action taken
Members approved an executive director function and subsequently developed an independent office structure.
Aftermath
The organisation increased its international advocacy capacity and later established offices in Geneva, Jakarta and Kathmandu.
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