This year’s forum focused on the status of older people’s human rights and the role of civil society organizations in advancing and protecting them in the richly diverse Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

The forum’s inclusive exchange between Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), National Human Rights Institution representatives (NHRIs), and academia facilitated a deeper understanding of the advancements made and the continued challenges in promotion and protecting the human rights of older people while creating the space for dialogue on further collaboration.

I had the honor of delivering the keynote for the Opening Ceremony. Below is an outline of the Forum’s program and related recordings:

  1. Opening Ceremony: Welcome remarks, congratulatory speeches, and keynote
  2. The Reality and Future of Human Rights for the Elderly in 5 Southeast Asian Countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand
  3. Activities of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea (NHRCK), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and ASEM Center for Human Rights for the Elderly (AGAC) to promote the human rights of the elderly: Facilitated dialogue
  4. Closing Ceremony: Remarks

Source: ASEM Global Ageing Center Website