Singapore

“Keeping the Faith” Roadshow Comes to Singapore to Explore Best Practices and Challenges in Promoting Inter-Belief Harmony

Faith Delos Reyes All, ASEAN, News, Singapore, Vulnerable Groups

Singapore, 30 April 2015—The Human Rights Resource Centre today presented its latest research study, “Keeping the Faith: A Study of Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion in ASEAN,” at the National University of Singapore. The event was hosted by the Centre for Asian Legal Studies (CALS), headed by Professor Andrew Harding. During his remarks as Guest […]

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“Keeping the Faith” Regional Roadshow

Faith Delos Reyes All, ASEAN, Events, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vulnerable Groups

In January 2015, the Human Rights Resource Centre (HRRC) published “Keeping the Faith: A Study of Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion in ASEAN.” This 10- country report captures the legal landscape pertaining to freedom of religion or belief in the region, in light of ASEAN governments’ commitment to eliminate all forms of intolerance, discrimination […]

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HRRC Participates in Roundtable Discussion on “Stakeholder Engagement in Human Rights Due Diligence – Challenges and Solutions for Corporations”

Faith Delos Reyes All, ASEAN, Business & Human Rights, News, Singapore
Singapore, 16 June 2014 — Michelle Staggs Kelsall, Deputy Director of the Human Rights Resource Centre, joined discussions held in Singapore on 16 June 2014 which focused on the important topic of stakeholders’ engagement in human rights due diligence by ICT companies. 
 
The organizer of the roundtable, Microsoft Company, noted that for many global ICT companies, a major corporate responsibility priority at present focuses on how to apply the UN Guiding Principles’ corporate responsibility to respect guidance through a systemic approach to human rights due diligence. However, ICT companies are faced with challenges when determining how to undertake human rights due diligence in ways that effectively and accurately identify risks to rights holders. Principle 18 of the Guiding Principles is important in this context, providing high-level direction for how companies should engage with human rights stakeholders. 
 
The aim of the roundtable was to identify creative, scalable, sustainable and responsible models to help guide stakeholder engagement. The Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), on behalf of Microsoft, developed a working paper, “Stakeholder Engagement in Human Rights Due Diligence:  Challenges and Solutions for ICT Companies,” which was used to help frame discussions at the roundtable. With inputs gained from roundtable discussions, the paper endeavors to answer the following question: How should an ICT company engage with rights holders when it may have hundreds of millions (or even billions) of users spread across the world using diverse products, services, technologies, and applications in vastly different human rights environments?
 
Participants focused on how best to define and engage rights holders and stakeholders—including internal stakeholders, such as employees. Participants also discussed the leadership role companies can take to overcome existing barriers. It was agreed that human rights must not be an afterthought, but a key consideration when making decisions.
 
This was the fifth roundtable to be held by the Microsoft Company to date. It was preceded by similar discussions in Brussels, Berlin (two roundtables), and San Francisco.

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ASEAN CSR Network Launches its “ASEAN CSR Vision 2020” and the AICHR Launches its CSR and Human Rights Baseline Study

Faith Delos Reyes ASEAN, Business & Human Rights, News, Singapore

Singapore, 14 June 2014 — On 12 June 2014, the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) launched the “ASEAN CSR Vision 2020” initiative in Singapore. Ms. Michelle Staggs Kelsall, Deputy Director of the Human Rights Resource Centre, attended the noteworthy event and extended the Centre’s commendation for the important work ACN is doing to raise awareness on corporate […]

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Summer Institute Addresses Business and Human Rights in the Asia Pacific

All, ASEAN, Business & Human Rights, News, Singapore

Singapore, 18 July 2012 — The 5th annual Summer Institute in International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights is taking place from 16 to 26 July 2012 in Singapore and focus on the topic of business and human rights.

The Summer Institute is a regionally based workshop held in partnership with organizations in Southeast Asia to consider key IHL and human rights issues, past and present, facing the region. Established in 2008 by the Asian International Justice Initiative, a collaborative project between the East-West Center and the War Crimes Studies Center, the Summer Institute is designed for participants working across a broad range of fields and disciplines within the Asia Pacific region or whose work has an Asia Pacific focus. Previous Summer Institute sessions have attracted lawyers, journalists, government officials, and NGO workers from more than 15 countries.

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5th Summer Institute: “Business and Human Rights”

Faith Delos Reyes Business & Human Rights, Events, Singapore

The Summer Institute is a regionally-based workshop held in partnership with organizations in Southeast Asia to consider key IHL and human rights issues, past and present, facing the region. This year's 2-week course is the first to host representatives of the UN Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

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