PUBLICATIONS

Publications

Latest publications produced by APRRN, our members and partners

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By APRRN


By Members


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Hafsar Tamesuddin's Speech delivered at the press release in Japan on 21st May 2023

6 June 2023

Our Co-Secretary General Hafsar Tamesuddin delivered a speech regarding the immigration bill to amend the immigration act in Japan. Hafsar highlighted APRRN's recommendations to consider adopting an independent Refugee Act with a primary focus on protection and revising detention legislation consistent with international standards from our recent statement.

Type of Publication: Speech

Routledge Handbook of Civil and Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia

29 March 2023

The handbook actively analyses the varying definitions of civil society, critiquing the inconsistent scrutiny of this sphere over time. It brings forth the need to reconsider civil society development in today’s Southeast Asia, including activist organisations' and platforms' composition, claims, resources, and potential to effect sociopolitical change.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Recommendations on the protection of women human rights defenders at risk in migration contexts

27 March 2023

These recommendations are the first of their kind and underline the critical role migrant women human rights defenders play in securing the rights of people on the move. Migrant women human rights defenders include women, girls, and gender-diverse persons of all ages who promote and protect the human rights of people on the move, whether they are migrants themselves or not, regardless of their migration status, and irrespective of whether they self-identify as a woman human rights defender. These recommendations are a call to action to all stakeholders to recognize and address the risks facing migrant women human rights defenders and put in place measures to promote and protect human rights unhindered so that migrants in all their diversity can live, work, and move safely and with dignity.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Understanding RLO Impact: A meta-synthesis of five external impact evaluations covering programs run by Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs)

15 March 2023

This study synthesizes and analyzes available data in order to answer two key research questions: What impact trends can be observed across five externally evaluated refugee-led organizations (RLOs)? To what extent can observations be generalized across organizations or geographies?

Type of Publication: Report

14 Protection Principles in COVID-19 Context - Bangla

7 March 2023

The following principles derived from international treaties and instruments, customary international law, decisions of UN treaty bodies, and guidelines widely accepted by the international community. They are further informed by decisions of human rights bodies at the regional level and regional inter-State agreements. The principles are offered to inform and guide state action, to assist international organizations, and to provide a basis for advocacy and education.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

14 Protection Principles in COVID-19 Context - English

7 March 2023

The following principles derived from international treaties and instruments, customary international law, decisions of UN treaty bodies, and guidelines widely accepted by the international community. They are further informed by decisions of human rights bodies at the regional level and regional inter-State agreements. The principles are offered to inform and guide state action, to assist international organizations, and to provide a basis for advocacy and education.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

TOGETHER WE DID! A reflection on the impact of the COVID-19 Emergency Statelessness Fund (CESF) Consortium

1 March 2023

This report documents the impacts of and perspectives from each CESF member’s project in the form of a series of Consortium Heroes profile pieces. It also draws together the lessons learned from the Consortium experience as a whole, both in terms of the issues addressed as well as the strategies and approaches adopted. It is informed by direct inputs from CESF members and peer conversations, as well as the findings of a CESF Independent Evaluation Report completed by external evaluators in October 2022. The report documents how the CESF and its learnings can pave the way for a future in which this type of thoughtful and impactful collaboration between donors, global NGOs, regional, national and community groups will become more common, more long-term and even more effective.

Type of Publication: Report

Asylum Seekers & Refugees Household & Livelihood Survey 2022

10 February 2023

Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands published a report on the living conditions of the West Papuan refugees in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The report is a result of a survey conducted last year and also our involvement in working with this marginalized group in the last three years.

Type of Publication: Report

Annual Report 2021

1 December 2022

2021 was a challenging year for APRRN, its members, and all people living through forced displacement in the Asia Pacific region. The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant health risks and travel restrictions continued to force us to reimagine our work and respond to a rapidly changing landscape, including outbreaks of xenophobia, boat pushbacks, and opportunistic shrinking of the civil society space. In reality, 2021 brought new, more severe waves of infection to the region. In response, APRRN quickly re-organized, re-envisioning what was possible and reimagining how we could advocate for the protection of refugees across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen the capacity of advocates for refugee rights. Our responses included vigilantly monitoring and responding to protection challenges, advocating for the inclusion of refugees in all COVID-19 preparedness and response plans, supporting localization and refugee-led initiatives, and bridging local, regional, and global responses.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APNOR Country Consultations Reports

19 October 2022

The Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR) regularly posts national consultations that take place in the region.

Type of Publication: Report

Promoting Safety of Life at Sea in Selected Coastal Areas in South-East Asia through Local Actors

12 October 2022

People seeking asylum face closed borders, trapped at sea, hundreds died. Local actors have been instrumental in rescue at sea and reception. Driven by people-to-people solidarity, traditional codes, and humanitarian values, they take action to save lives. In a series of national round-tables in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh, APRRN invited key local actors to share and reflect on their practices, challenges, and lessons learned. A regional round-table discussion explored how to strengthen collaboration regionally. This paper summarizes key experiences, good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations to inform dialogue, activities and advocacy in the region.

Type of Publication: Report

Protection from Persecution: End the Forcible Return of Refugees

12 October 2022

In the past two years, Thailand has shown leadership in expanding alternatives to detention and moving towards a national screening mechanism for persons at risk of persecution. However, if it is to be recognized as a regional leader, it must immediately stop forcibly returning refugees to their countries of origin, where they are at risk of being persecuted.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Enabling Equal Access: Overcoming Language Barriers in Refugee Protection

12 October 2022

Attached is a policy brief by Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS) on the importance of communication in refugee protecting, using Thailand as a case study.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Regional Humanitarian Advocacy Consultation on Rohingya Displacement

10 October 2022

Summary 15 September 2022 Many Rohingya are still living in protracted exile with unreliable access to temporary protection, essential services and durable solutions, which has led thousands to undertake perilous journeys from Myanmar and Bangladesh by sea, leading in many cases to fatalities. While the COVID-19 pandemic created new barriers to migration, as many countries tightened border controls, the number of Rohingya refugees attempting to move irregularly is again increasing, with over 1,000 Rohingya making maritime and land movements in the region in January – July 2022. Against this backdrop, 51 representatives from 29 NGOs, networks, the UN and the donor community met to discuss how coordinated regional responses and advocacy can be strengthened. During the one-day consultation, humanitarian stakeholders discussed challenges and opportunities at both regional and national levels, identified themes for advocacy and opportunities for coordinated advocacy at the regional level to improve the situation for Rohingya in the region.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Annual Tripartite Consultations On Resettlement 2022

7 October 2022

Final Report 20-22nd June 2022 The theme for the ATCR 2022 was Reemerging and Building Globally. The conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland with more than 260 participants working in the context of resettlement and third-country solutions, including representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and refugees.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Rights in Exile

28 September 2022

by AMERA International The Rights in Exile Programme works to achieve better protection of refugee rights by networking legal assistance providers with resources and training, and facilitating access to free legal assistance and information for refugees around the world.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Undoing Precarity: Elevating Positive Practices for Refugee Protection in South and South East Asia

27 September 2022

This report highlights ways in which countries in South and Southeast Asia that are not signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol have nonetheless extended protections for and advanced the rights of refugees living within their borders through various legislative and administrative practices. The guide seeks to promote practical and actionable steps that can be adopted and adapted in other settings, informing existing and emerging efforts to help refugees defend and realise their rights.

Type of Publication: Report

It's Time to Share Responsibility: The Rohingya Crisis Five Years On

4 August 2022

Released on 25 August 2022, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network's Briefing Paper outlines how all stakeholders can own their share of responsibility towards putting an end to the systematic marginalisation of Rohingya women, men and children, five years after more than 742,000 were driven out of Myanmar by brutal attacks in 2017. “After more than 40 years of persecution, with no solutions in sight, and no clear political leadership, we are all complicit in the ongoing marginalisation of the Rohingya, and we must all begin to accept, and share responsibility if we hope that situation to change,” Hafsar Tameesuddin, Chair of APRRN and a former Rohingya refugee. Co-written by APRRN’s Rohingya Working Group, the paper provides an in-depth analysis of countries of exile where Rohingya have sought refuge, including Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. It highlights the glaring lack of basic human rights and legal protections, the continuous cycle of forced displacement, and the normalisation of Rohingya marginalisation across the region, to outline concrete steps towards improvement.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

2022 Global Refugee Work Rights Report

28 June 2022

By Asylum Access In this project, produced by researchers at the Center for Global Development (CGD), Asylum Access, and Refugees International, we assess refugees’ work rights across the globe. We examine different dimensions of work rights both in law (de jure) and in practice (de facto) across 51 countries that were collectively hosting 87 percent of the world’s refugee population at the end of 2021. Combining legal documents, country-level reports, news articles, and input from more than 200 practitioners with knowledge of refugees’ livelihoods and use of services, we evaluate the de jure and de facto situation within a standardised framework.

Type of Publication: Report

Virtual Workshop for NGOs: Refugee Protection in the Context of COVID 2020

1 June 2022

TheVirtual Workshop for NGOs: Refugee Protection in the Context of COVID-19 was organised in July 2020 by the Rohingya Working Group (RWG) of the AsiaPacific Refugee Rights Network(APRRN), in collaboration with the Bangladesh Rohingya Response NGO Platform (NGOPlatform). The objective of the workshop was to examine current protection concerns faced by NGOs in the context of COVID-19, learn good practices and identify strategies to address existing and emerging challenges in the context of COVID-19.

Type of Publication: Report

Refugee Rights Situation in Indonesia: Universal Periodic Review 4th Cycle

28 April 2022

By SUAKA Indonesia This submission provides an overview of the refugee rights situation in Indonesia and the effectiveness of refugee management of the Government of Indonesia since the last UPR (Third Cycle). There were two recommendations specific to the issues of refugees, one of which was supported by the Government of Indonesia (139.147 – Colombia) and one noted recommendation (141.55 – Ireland). In addition to these specific recommendations, Indonesia also supported many recommendations on other rights which would be applicable for refugees and asylum seekers. However, this report has documented the weak commitment made by the Government of Indonesia to follow up the recommendations for the betterment of refugee rights in the country.

Type of Publication: Report

Equitable Partnership Position Paper

28 December 2021

by Asylum Access It is a position paper that documents Asylum Access' internal journey and learnings around localization. From our recent and ongoing learning, we understand there are many things that must happen in order to shift the power and resources from institutions of powers to proximate actors. This paper focuses on one key element of that: Equitable Partnerships, which we understand as partnerships where systems, processes, and daily interactions help to rectify the power imbalances that enable exclusion, and are based on the five foundational elements of diversity, representation, equity and includion; co-design; co-leadership; co-visibility; and trust and transparency.

Type of Publication: Report

ASIA PACIFIC SUMMIT OF REFUGEES (APSOR) OUTCOMES REPORT 2019

21 November 2021

The Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees 2021 prepared by the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees team. The report outlines the discussions, key recommendations, and outcomes from the Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees, held virtual on 9, 10 & 11 November 2021, with many individual refugees and country hubs participants connecting to the Summit from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Hong Kong & South Korea.

Type of Publication: Report

Thailand: National Screening Mechanism Assessment Report (2021)

27 September 2021

APRRN and the Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) in Thailand developed a comprehensive publication on Thailand's National Screening Mechanism (NSM) that provides a baseline assessment of NSM progress to date, as well as key findings and recommendations.

Type of Publication: Report

In Light of the Spread of COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Centres, Reconsider the Detention Approach to Migration

9 April 2021

APRRN renews its call to states to treat detainees in line with their obligations under international human rights law and to reconsider their use of immigration detention during an airborne pandemic. Shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19, civil society organisations called upon states to release people from immigration detention, warning that outbreaks were likely as physical distancing is impossible, sanitary facilities are typically inadequate, and access to protective equipment and medical care is minimal in the often-overcrowded facilities in which migrants are detained. One year on, migrants throughout the region have been exposed to outbreaks of COVID-19:

Type of Publication: Statement

Annual Report 2020

27 February 2021

2020 was a challenging year for all, as the COVID19 pandemic and attendant health risks and travel restrictions forced us to reimagine our work and respond to a rapidly changing landscape, including outbreaks of xenophobia, boat pushbacks, and opportunistic shrinking of the civil society space. In response, APRRN quickly re-organised, re-envisioning what was possible and reimagining how we could advocate for the protection of refugees across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen the capacity of advocates for refugee rights.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Towards Refugees' Rights to Work

31 October 2020

Despite having hosted asylum seekers for decades, Malaysia and Thailand are not among the 149 United Nations member states that have signed the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugee Convention) and/or its Protocol. In both countries, authorities have alternated between denying responsibility, granting humanitarian exceptions, and closing one eye on the presence of refugees in their territory. Consistently, however, refugees have been forced to seek work in the informal sector, exposing them to detention, arrest, exploitation, and destitution.

Type of Publication: Report

Virtual donor conference on “Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response

22 October 2020

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) welcomes the call for renewed commitment to sustained support for the humanitarian response and to comprehensive and sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees and host communities across the region. While the displacement and statelessness crisis faced by the Rohingya ultimately requires a solution by Myanmar, protection, legal documentation, and access to services for Rohingya in host countries across the region are urgently needed now

Type of Publication: Statement

Three Years On: Rohingya Need Sustainable Solutions

3 September 2020

Three years since violent attacks in Myanmar forced more than 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, the refugee population in Cox’s Bazar District continues to wait for safe, dignified, and voluntary return to their homeland while living in conditions of deprivation and uncertainty The escalation of conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Arakan Army since December 2018 has impacted all communities in Rakhine State, including the Rohingya. The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 100,000 Rakhine (Arakanese) and other ethnic groups, resulting in the killing and maiming of civilians, and damage to critical infrastructure. A ceasefire that includes all parties to the conflict is urgently needed to support the protection of all communities in Rakhine State.

Type of Publication: Statement

Suspension of Afghan Refugee Repatriation from Pakistan a Short-term Solution to a Long-term Problem

24 March 2020

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)commends the suspension of the voluntary repatriation programme for afghan refugees in Pakistan, which had resumed earlier this month, due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. However, as the measures are only provisionary, APRRNcontinues to express concern regarding the appropriateness of the program itself, due to the notable lack of protection available to returnees in Afghanistan. The repatriation program, an emergence from a tripartite agreement between UNHCR, the Government of Pakistan, and the government of Afghanistan, was initiated in2003, and reaffirmed in July 2019

Type of Publication: Statement

Annual Report 2019

27 February 2020

This year was an incredible year for APRRN and its programmatic goals of advocacy, information sharing, and capacity strengthening. Particularly of note was APRRN’s instrumental intervention and tireless advocacy on several high-profile cases and the inaugural Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APRRN 7th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Report

27 December 2019

This year’s theme '10 years of APRRN' highlighted the successes and achievements over the past 10 years but also provided opportunities to discuss our strategies for moving forward as a network.

Type of Publication: Report

Annual Report 2018

27 February 2019

2018 was transformative. APRRN members helped the network accomplish considerable milestones in refugee protection across the region, and continued to develop and advance the ground-up, grass-roots, membership-led movement that the Asia-Pacific region is pioneering in the field of refugee rights advocacy. This report details many of these developments and demonstrates just how diverse and compelling our membership is. It reflects upon our recent achievements and provides a snapshot of the year in review.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees (APSOR) Outcomes Report (February 2019)

27 February 2019

On 22 October 2018, APSOR brought together 104 representatives from refugee-led organisations, networks and communities residing in 10 host countries in the Asia Pacific region to discuss and plan for greater refugee participation in policy- and decision-making. This was the first opportunity of its kind for refugee leaders in the Asia Pacific region to come together to share experiences, network and discuss how to strengthen refugee self-representation at all levels (locally, regionally and internationally).

Type of Publication: Report

Joint Statement on the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Determination of Measures and Approaches Alternative to Detention of Children in Immigration Detention Centers - 2019

21 January 2019

Thailand edges closer to respecting refugee and migrant rights with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ending the detention of refugee and migrant children We, the undersigned refugee and human rights organizations in Thailand, welcome today’s commitment by the Government of Thailand to stop detaining migrant and refugee children. This commendable step brings Thailand closer to international standards for the treatment of refugee and migrant children and recognizes their fundamental rights under international law. We urge the authorities to immediately release all refugees arbitrarily detained in Thailand and fully protect the rights of refugees and children, including by reuniting separated families and prioritizing the best interests of the child.

Type of Publication: Statement

Fact Sheet Malaysia - 2018

27 September 2018

Country factsheet for Malaysia covering figures at a glance, recent progress and developments

Type of Publication: Factsheet

Fact Sheet Thailand - 2018

27 September 2018

Country factsheet for Thailand covering figures at a glance, recent progress and developments

Type of Publication: Factsheet

Meaningful Refugee Participation as Transformative Leadership: Guidelines for Concrete Action

27 September 2018

More than ever, we have seen refugees participating on panels, invited to fora and voicing their interests. And importantly, there is a growing appreciation for the fact that including refugees in substantive ways is not only the right thing to do but that it results in policies and programs that are more effective and legitimate. Despite this progress, the refugee response sector is struggling to enable meaningful participation. Refugee-led initiatives globally are therefore calling for an urgent focus on moving from rhetoric to reality. This document was authored by the Global Refugee-Led Network in collaboration with Asylum Access and experts.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Annual Report 2017

27 February 2018

APRRN continued to play a crucial role in advocating and engaging at the international level throughout 2017. APRRN further also efficiently coordinated our diverse membership voices.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APRRN 6th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Report

27 September 2016

APCRR6 consisted of a series of workshops aimed at reaffirming the theme of ‘Building on Positive Practices’. During the thematically diverse workshops, participants had an opportunity to discuss the latest updates, positive developments and strategise for joint action.

Type of Publication: Report

Hafsar Tamesuddin's Speech delivered at the press release in Japan on 21st May 2023

Our Co-Secretary General Hafsar Tamesuddin delivered a speech regarding the immigration bill to amend the immigration act in Japan. Hafsar highlighted APRRN's recommendations to consider adopting an independent Refugee Act with a primary focus on protection and revising detention legislation consistent with international standards from our recent statement.

Type of Publication: Speech

Routledge Handbook of Civil and Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia

The handbook actively analyses the varying definitions of civil society, critiquing the inconsistent scrutiny of this sphere over time. It brings forth the need to reconsider civil society development in today’s Southeast Asia, including activist organisations' and platforms' composition, claims, resources, and potential to effect sociopolitical change.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Recommendations on the protection of women human rights defenders at risk in migration contexts

These recommendations are the first of their kind and underline the critical role migrant women human rights defenders play in securing the rights of people on the move. Migrant women human rights defenders include women, girls, and gender-diverse persons of all ages who promote and protect the human rights of people on the move, whether they are migrants themselves or not, regardless of their migration status, and irrespective of whether they self-identify as a woman human rights defender. These recommendations are a call to action to all stakeholders to recognize and address the risks facing migrant women human rights defenders and put in place measures to promote and protect human rights unhindered so that migrants in all their diversity can live, work, and move safely and with dignity.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Understanding RLO Impact: A meta-synthesis of five external impact evaluations covering programs run by Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs)

This study synthesizes and analyzes available data in order to answer two key research questions: What impact trends can be observed across five externally evaluated refugee-led organizations (RLOs)? To what extent can observations be generalized across organizations or geographies?

Type of Publication: Report

14 Protection Principles in COVID-19 Context - Bangla

The following principles derived from international treaties and instruments, customary international law, decisions of UN treaty bodies, and guidelines widely accepted by the international community. They are further informed by decisions of human rights bodies at the regional level and regional inter-State agreements. The principles are offered to inform and guide state action, to assist international organizations, and to provide a basis for advocacy and education.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

14 Protection Principles in COVID-19 Context - English

The following principles derived from international treaties and instruments, customary international law, decisions of UN treaty bodies, and guidelines widely accepted by the international community. They are further informed by decisions of human rights bodies at the regional level and regional inter-State agreements. The principles are offered to inform and guide state action, to assist international organizations, and to provide a basis for advocacy and education.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

TOGETHER WE DID! A reflection on the impact of the COVID-19 Emergency Statelessness Fund (CESF) Consortium

This report documents the impacts of and perspectives from each CESF member’s project in the form of a series of Consortium Heroes profile pieces. It also draws together the lessons learned from the Consortium experience as a whole, both in terms of the issues addressed as well as the strategies and approaches adopted. It is informed by direct inputs from CESF members and peer conversations, as well as the findings of a CESF Independent Evaluation Report completed by external evaluators in October 2022. The report documents how the CESF and its learnings can pave the way for a future in which this type of thoughtful and impactful collaboration between donors, global NGOs, regional, national and community groups will become more common, more long-term and even more effective.

Type of Publication: Report

Asylum Seekers & Refugees Household & Livelihood Survey 2022

Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands published a report on the living conditions of the West Papuan refugees in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The report is a result of a survey conducted last year and also our involvement in working with this marginalized group in the last three years.

Type of Publication: Report

Annual Report 2021

2021 was a challenging year for APRRN, its members, and all people living through forced displacement in the Asia Pacific region. The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant health risks and travel restrictions continued to force us to reimagine our work and respond to a rapidly changing landscape, including outbreaks of xenophobia, boat pushbacks, and opportunistic shrinking of the civil society space. In reality, 2021 brought new, more severe waves of infection to the region. In response, APRRN quickly re-organized, re-envisioning what was possible and reimagining how we could advocate for the protection of refugees across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen the capacity of advocates for refugee rights. Our responses included vigilantly monitoring and responding to protection challenges, advocating for the inclusion of refugees in all COVID-19 preparedness and response plans, supporting localization and refugee-led initiatives, and bridging local, regional, and global responses.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APNOR Country Consultations Reports

The Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR) regularly posts national consultations that take place in the region.

Type of Publication: Report

Promoting Safety of Life at Sea in Selected Coastal Areas in South-East Asia through Local Actors

People seeking asylum face closed borders, trapped at sea, hundreds died. Local actors have been instrumental in rescue at sea and reception. Driven by people-to-people solidarity, traditional codes, and humanitarian values, they take action to save lives. In a series of national round-tables in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh, APRRN invited key local actors to share and reflect on their practices, challenges, and lessons learned. A regional round-table discussion explored how to strengthen collaboration regionally. This paper summarizes key experiences, good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations to inform dialogue, activities and advocacy in the region.

Type of Publication: Report

Protection from Persecution: End the Forcible Return of Refugees

In the past two years, Thailand has shown leadership in expanding alternatives to detention and moving towards a national screening mechanism for persons at risk of persecution. However, if it is to be recognized as a regional leader, it must immediately stop forcibly returning refugees to their countries of origin, where they are at risk of being persecuted.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Enabling Equal Access: Overcoming Language Barriers in Refugee Protection

Attached is a policy brief by Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS) on the importance of communication in refugee protecting, using Thailand as a case study.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Regional Humanitarian Advocacy Consultation on Rohingya Displacement

Summary 15 September 2022 Many Rohingya are still living in protracted exile with unreliable access to temporary protection, essential services and durable solutions, which has led thousands to undertake perilous journeys from Myanmar and Bangladesh by sea, leading in many cases to fatalities. While the COVID-19 pandemic created new barriers to migration, as many countries tightened border controls, the number of Rohingya refugees attempting to move irregularly is again increasing, with over 1,000 Rohingya making maritime and land movements in the region in January – July 2022. Against this backdrop, 51 representatives from 29 NGOs, networks, the UN and the donor community met to discuss how coordinated regional responses and advocacy can be strengthened. During the one-day consultation, humanitarian stakeholders discussed challenges and opportunities at both regional and national levels, identified themes for advocacy and opportunities for coordinated advocacy at the regional level to improve the situation for Rohingya in the region.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

Annual Tripartite Consultations On Resettlement 2022

Final Report 20-22nd June 2022 The theme for the ATCR 2022 was Reemerging and Building Globally. The conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland with more than 260 participants working in the context of resettlement and third-country solutions, including representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and refugees.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Rights in Exile

by AMERA International The Rights in Exile Programme works to achieve better protection of refugee rights by networking legal assistance providers with resources and training, and facilitating access to free legal assistance and information for refugees around the world.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Undoing Precarity: Elevating Positive Practices for Refugee Protection in South and South East Asia

This report highlights ways in which countries in South and Southeast Asia that are not signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol have nonetheless extended protections for and advanced the rights of refugees living within their borders through various legislative and administrative practices. The guide seeks to promote practical and actionable steps that can be adopted and adapted in other settings, informing existing and emerging efforts to help refugees defend and realise their rights.

Type of Publication: Report

It's Time to Share Responsibility: The Rohingya Crisis Five Years On

Released on 25 August 2022, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network's Briefing Paper outlines how all stakeholders can own their share of responsibility towards putting an end to the systematic marginalisation of Rohingya women, men and children, five years after more than 742,000 were driven out of Myanmar by brutal attacks in 2017. “After more than 40 years of persecution, with no solutions in sight, and no clear political leadership, we are all complicit in the ongoing marginalisation of the Rohingya, and we must all begin to accept, and share responsibility if we hope that situation to change,” Hafsar Tameesuddin, Chair of APRRN and a former Rohingya refugee. Co-written by APRRN’s Rohingya Working Group, the paper provides an in-depth analysis of countries of exile where Rohingya have sought refuge, including Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. It highlights the glaring lack of basic human rights and legal protections, the continuous cycle of forced displacement, and the normalisation of Rohingya marginalisation across the region, to outline concrete steps towards improvement.

Type of Publication: Briefer/Explainer

2022 Global Refugee Work Rights Report

By Asylum Access In this project, produced by researchers at the Center for Global Development (CGD), Asylum Access, and Refugees International, we assess refugees’ work rights across the globe. We examine different dimensions of work rights both in law (de jure) and in practice (de facto) across 51 countries that were collectively hosting 87 percent of the world’s refugee population at the end of 2021. Combining legal documents, country-level reports, news articles, and input from more than 200 practitioners with knowledge of refugees’ livelihoods and use of services, we evaluate the de jure and de facto situation within a standardised framework.

Type of Publication: Report

Virtual Workshop for NGOs: Refugee Protection in the Context of COVID 2020

TheVirtual Workshop for NGOs: Refugee Protection in the Context of COVID-19 was organised in July 2020 by the Rohingya Working Group (RWG) of the AsiaPacific Refugee Rights Network(APRRN), in collaboration with the Bangladesh Rohingya Response NGO Platform (NGOPlatform). The objective of the workshop was to examine current protection concerns faced by NGOs in the context of COVID-19, learn good practices and identify strategies to address existing and emerging challenges in the context of COVID-19.

Type of Publication: Report

Refugee Rights Situation in Indonesia: Universal Periodic Review 4th Cycle

By SUAKA Indonesia This submission provides an overview of the refugee rights situation in Indonesia and the effectiveness of refugee management of the Government of Indonesia since the last UPR (Third Cycle). There were two recommendations specific to the issues of refugees, one of which was supported by the Government of Indonesia (139.147 – Colombia) and one noted recommendation (141.55 – Ireland). In addition to these specific recommendations, Indonesia also supported many recommendations on other rights which would be applicable for refugees and asylum seekers. However, this report has documented the weak commitment made by the Government of Indonesia to follow up the recommendations for the betterment of refugee rights in the country.

Type of Publication: Report

Equitable Partnership Position Paper

by Asylum Access It is a position paper that documents Asylum Access' internal journey and learnings around localization. From our recent and ongoing learning, we understand there are many things that must happen in order to shift the power and resources from institutions of powers to proximate actors. This paper focuses on one key element of that: Equitable Partnerships, which we understand as partnerships where systems, processes, and daily interactions help to rectify the power imbalances that enable exclusion, and are based on the five foundational elements of diversity, representation, equity and includion; co-design; co-leadership; co-visibility; and trust and transparency.

Type of Publication: Report

ASIA PACIFIC SUMMIT OF REFUGEES (APSOR) OUTCOMES REPORT 2019

The Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees 2021 prepared by the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees team. The report outlines the discussions, key recommendations, and outcomes from the Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees, held virtual on 9, 10 & 11 November 2021, with many individual refugees and country hubs participants connecting to the Summit from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Hong Kong & South Korea.

Type of Publication: Report

Thailand: National Screening Mechanism Assessment Report (2021)

APRRN and the Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) in Thailand developed a comprehensive publication on Thailand's National Screening Mechanism (NSM) that provides a baseline assessment of NSM progress to date, as well as key findings and recommendations.

Type of Publication: Report

In Light of the Spread of COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Centres, Reconsider the Detention Approach to Migration

APRRN renews its call to states to treat detainees in line with their obligations under international human rights law and to reconsider their use of immigration detention during an airborne pandemic. Shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19, civil society organisations called upon states to release people from immigration detention, warning that outbreaks were likely as physical distancing is impossible, sanitary facilities are typically inadequate, and access to protective equipment and medical care is minimal in the often-overcrowded facilities in which migrants are detained. One year on, migrants throughout the region have been exposed to outbreaks of COVID-19:

Type of Publication: Statement

Annual Report 2020

2020 was a challenging year for all, as the COVID19 pandemic and attendant health risks and travel restrictions forced us to reimagine our work and respond to a rapidly changing landscape, including outbreaks of xenophobia, boat pushbacks, and opportunistic shrinking of the civil society space. In response, APRRN quickly re-organised, re-envisioning what was possible and reimagining how we could advocate for the protection of refugees across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen the capacity of advocates for refugee rights.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Towards Refugees' Rights to Work

Despite having hosted asylum seekers for decades, Malaysia and Thailand are not among the 149 United Nations member states that have signed the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugee Convention) and/or its Protocol. In both countries, authorities have alternated between denying responsibility, granting humanitarian exceptions, and closing one eye on the presence of refugees in their territory. Consistently, however, refugees have been forced to seek work in the informal sector, exposing them to detention, arrest, exploitation, and destitution.

Type of Publication: Report

Virtual donor conference on “Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) welcomes the call for renewed commitment to sustained support for the humanitarian response and to comprehensive and sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees and host communities across the region. While the displacement and statelessness crisis faced by the Rohingya ultimately requires a solution by Myanmar, protection, legal documentation, and access to services for Rohingya in host countries across the region are urgently needed now

Type of Publication: Statement

Three Years On: Rohingya Need Sustainable Solutions

Three years since violent attacks in Myanmar forced more than 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, the refugee population in Cox’s Bazar District continues to wait for safe, dignified, and voluntary return to their homeland while living in conditions of deprivation and uncertainty The escalation of conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Arakan Army since December 2018 has impacted all communities in Rakhine State, including the Rohingya. The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 100,000 Rakhine (Arakanese) and other ethnic groups, resulting in the killing and maiming of civilians, and damage to critical infrastructure. A ceasefire that includes all parties to the conflict is urgently needed to support the protection of all communities in Rakhine State.

Type of Publication: Statement

Suspension of Afghan Refugee Repatriation from Pakistan a Short-term Solution to a Long-term Problem

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)commends the suspension of the voluntary repatriation programme for afghan refugees in Pakistan, which had resumed earlier this month, due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. However, as the measures are only provisionary, APRRNcontinues to express concern regarding the appropriateness of the program itself, due to the notable lack of protection available to returnees in Afghanistan. The repatriation program, an emergence from a tripartite agreement between UNHCR, the Government of Pakistan, and the government of Afghanistan, was initiated in2003, and reaffirmed in July 2019

Type of Publication: Statement

Annual Report 2019

This year was an incredible year for APRRN and its programmatic goals of advocacy, information sharing, and capacity strengthening. Particularly of note was APRRN’s instrumental intervention and tireless advocacy on several high-profile cases and the inaugural Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APRRN 7th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Report

This year’s theme '10 years of APRRN' highlighted the successes and achievements over the past 10 years but also provided opportunities to discuss our strategies for moving forward as a network.

Type of Publication: Report

Annual Report 2018

2018 was transformative. APRRN members helped the network accomplish considerable milestones in refugee protection across the region, and continued to develop and advance the ground-up, grass-roots, membership-led movement that the Asia-Pacific region is pioneering in the field of refugee rights advocacy. This report details many of these developments and demonstrates just how diverse and compelling our membership is. It reflects upon our recent achievements and provides a snapshot of the year in review.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees (APSOR) Outcomes Report (February 2019)

On 22 October 2018, APSOR brought together 104 representatives from refugee-led organisations, networks and communities residing in 10 host countries in the Asia Pacific region to discuss and plan for greater refugee participation in policy- and decision-making. This was the first opportunity of its kind for refugee leaders in the Asia Pacific region to come together to share experiences, network and discuss how to strengthen refugee self-representation at all levels (locally, regionally and internationally).

Type of Publication: Report

Joint Statement on the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Determination of Measures and Approaches Alternative to Detention of Children in Immigration Detention Centers - 2019

Thailand edges closer to respecting refugee and migrant rights with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ending the detention of refugee and migrant children We, the undersigned refugee and human rights organizations in Thailand, welcome today’s commitment by the Government of Thailand to stop detaining migrant and refugee children. This commendable step brings Thailand closer to international standards for the treatment of refugee and migrant children and recognizes their fundamental rights under international law. We urge the authorities to immediately release all refugees arbitrarily detained in Thailand and fully protect the rights of refugees and children, including by reuniting separated families and prioritizing the best interests of the child.

Type of Publication: Statement

Fact Sheet Malaysia - 2018

Country factsheet for Malaysia covering figures at a glance, recent progress and developments

Type of Publication: Factsheet

Fact Sheet Thailand - 2018

Country factsheet for Thailand covering figures at a glance, recent progress and developments

Type of Publication: Factsheet

Meaningful Refugee Participation as Transformative Leadership: Guidelines for Concrete Action

More than ever, we have seen refugees participating on panels, invited to fora and voicing their interests. And importantly, there is a growing appreciation for the fact that including refugees in substantive ways is not only the right thing to do but that it results in policies and programs that are more effective and legitimate. Despite this progress, the refugee response sector is struggling to enable meaningful participation. Refugee-led initiatives globally are therefore calling for an urgent focus on moving from rhetoric to reality. This document was authored by the Global Refugee-Led Network in collaboration with Asylum Access and experts.

Type of Publication: Tool/Guide

Annual Report 2017

APRRN continued to play a crucial role in advocating and engaging at the international level throughout 2017. APRRN further also efficiently coordinated our diverse membership voices.

Type of Publication: Annual Report

APRRN 6th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights Report

APCRR6 consisted of a series of workshops aimed at reaffirming the theme of ‘Building on Positive Practices’. During the thematically diverse workshops, participants had an opportunity to discuss the latest updates, positive developments and strategise for joint action.

Type of Publication: Report