The Gwangju Metropolitan City Government and the May 18 Memorial Foundation co-hosted the 2011 World Human Rights Cities Forum held on 16-17 May 2011 at Gwangju city, Korea. The conference aimed to serve as a platform to solidify international cooperation among local communities around the world and to network cities and municipalities committed to the implementation of internationally recognized human rights standards and norms. It had the following objectives:
* To enhance international cooperation and solidarity among human rights cities
* To share experiences and case studies from advanced human rights cities
* To promote the spirit of May 18 Democratization Movement and the human rights-oriented policies and actions of the Gwangju Metropolitan City.
Several Asian cities were represented in the conference (Kaoshiung [Taiwan], Sakai [Japan], Penang [Malaysia], and Lamphun [Thailand]) along with those from North America and Europe. A number of Asian, north American and European non- governmental organizations were also represented in the conference.
For further information, please contact: The May 18 Memorial Foundation May 18 Memorial Culture Hall, Seo-gu Ssangchondong 1268, Postcode 502-260 Gwangju, Republic of Korea; ph (8262) 457-0518; fax (8262) 456-0519; www.518.org/eng; or Korea Human Rights Foundation, 4/F, Seomoon Bldg. 368-22, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea 121-893; ph (82-2) 363-0601 (office); fax (82-2) 363-0208; Khrf99@gmail.com; www.humanrights.or.kr.
The Technical Support Facility (TSF) South Asia held the South Asia Regional Workshop on 27- 30 June 2011 in New Delhi for capacity development of consultants and implementers on delivering quality technical assistance for advancing human rights and gender equality for the HIV response. The workshop had the objective of building the capacity of consultants by equipping them with tools and resources needed as gender consultants. The workshop introduced the consultants to key issues in gender and human rights for HIV response and then the specific skills based on engendering national strategic plans (NSPs) and integrating gender in Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) proposals. The specific objectives of this workshop were: 1) Create a cadre of promising and functioning gender and HIV consultants; 2) Provide participants with practical tips and hands-on skills in developing and understanding some key tools particularly relating to engendering NSPs and integrating gender into GFATM proposals; 3) Increase the pool of consultants who are female, men having sex with men (MSM), and transgender people. Twenty-eight consultants participated in the workshop.
For further information, please contact: TSF-South Asia Secretariat, Ranibari Marga # 86, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal; ph (977-1) 4426792, 4433902; fax (977-1) 4439643; e-mail: info@tsfsouthasia.org; pemu.bhutia@actionaid.org; www.tsfsouthasia.org/ advertisement/add_new.php
The Asian Society of International Law will hold is 3rd Biennial Meeting in Beijing on 27-28 August 2011 with the theme “Asia and International Law: A New Era.” The meeting will explore the many issues confronting the peoples of Asia and the international community more generally. The topics to be addressed include, broadly, human rights, international economic law and private international law, the law of the sea, development and the environment, international law relating to security and conflict, and the history and theory of international law. A panel will be devoted to the crucial issue of the teaching and dissemination of international law in Asia. The conference will explore Asian state practice, regional developments and the Asian traditions of international law, and the ways in which Asian societies are attempting to formulate and adapt international law to meet their needs and their growing economies. At the same time, the conference will examine developments in international law more broadly. Both Asian and international perspectives on the selected topics are welcome, as it is only when international lawyers are fully conscious of the changing international political environment, and truly understand the economic needs and social conditions of both the developed and developing world that they can genuinely facilitate the creation of a system which helps ensure equal opportunities and mutual benefits for all parties and thus contribute towards achieving the great and enduring goals of international law: global justice, peace, and prosperity. For further information, please contact: Chinese Society of International Law, 24 Zhanlan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037 China; ph (86-10) 68323096; (8160) 68314018; e-mail: secretariat@csil.cn; www.csil.cn.