ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
The Asia Justice Coalition works as a collective to amplify our members’ initiatives and their
efforts to advance international justice and human rights in Asia. We, therefore, provide
aggregated and updated information and news on the Coalition’s projects, activities and events.
The Asia Justice Coalition works as a collective to amplify our members’ initiatives and their
efforts to advance international justice and human rights in Asia. We, therefore, provide
aggregated and updated information and news on the Coalition’s projects, activities and events.
Crimes Against Humanity Convention
The Asia Justice Coalition (AJC) has been advocating for a robust and strengthened Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Convention in the region for these past few years. It is active on this issue in a variety of ways, undertaking advocacy, dissemination, raising awareness and monitoring and mapping the position of Asian States on the International Law Commission’s (ILC) Draft Articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity (Draft Articles).
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The Draft Articles provide an additional tool to fight impunity, bridging the normative gap in treaty law by providing for prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. The Draft Articles encompass state responsibility, strengthen inter-state cooperation, enable States to develop national capacity to investigate and punish crimes against humanity within their territory, and center victims and survivors. The AJC secretariat firmly believes that the ILC Draft Articles provide a sound basis to elaborate a future multilateral convention on crimes against humanity. Such an elaboration would align with the objectives and goals of the UN Charter – maintenance of international peace and security.
In furtherance of the same goal, the Asia Justice Coalition has undertaken the following research and advocacy initiatives:
2026
On 24 March, AJC’s Legal Advocacy and Communications Manager, Aakash Chandran, briefed the members of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) on the ‘Negotiation Process of the Convention on Crimes against Humanity’, especially focusing his remarks on ‘Regional & National Strategies in Asia’.
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On 12 March, on the sidelines of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) week, AJC, Global Justice Centre, Amnesty International and other partners organised a civil society workshop on gender justice and the crimes against humanity treaty in New York.
From 19 – 30 January, AJC Executive Director Dr Priya Pillai attended the first session of the Preparatory Committee of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention at the UN Headquarters in New York.
On 19 January, AJC joined 200+ organisations to urge UN Member States to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, particularly calling for the codification of reproductive violence, gender apartheid, and slave trade and centering victims and survivors in the convention. Similarly, on 14 January, ahead of the session, the Asia Justice Coalition joined fellow civil society partners and organisations from across the world to called for full, meaningful, and safe participation of civil society in the preparation and negotiation of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention.
On the sidelines of the PrepCom session, the Asia Justice Coalition participated in two side events. On 26 January, Dr Priya Pillai participated in an expert panel discussion on 'Advancing the Crimes Against Humanity Treaty: Expert Perspectives and Reflections' co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Mexico, The Gambia, The Philippines, and Switzerland to the UN. Thereafter, on 27 January, Asia Justice Coalition, International Commission of Jurists, Global Justice Center, Atlantic Council, Washington University Law School, Columbia Law School co-hosted a side event with the Permanent Mission of Mexico and Timor Leste to the UN on ‘Facilitating Enforcement of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention’.
2025
At the 24th International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties in The Hague, the Asia Justice Coalition co-hosted two side events. First, on 3 December, AJC co-sponsored a Civil Society Workshop on Crimes Against Humanity Convention, which witnessed participation from a diverse group of stakeholders over the process at the UN, substantive proposals concerning the ILC Draft Articles, and opportunities for advocacy, including proposals to advance civil society participation and gender justice.
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On 5 December, AJC and other CSOs co-sponsored a side event entitled ‘Responding to Emerging Crisis: Opportunities in the Development of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention’. The event discussed proposals to ensure consistency with and progressive development of international law and explored how these relate to the development and implementation of the Rome Statute more broadly.
On 24 October, AJC endorsed the statement delivered by the International Commission of Jurists at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The statement called upon African States to meaningfully engage in the negotiation process for an international Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity to ensure “a trauma-informed, gender-competent and intersectional approach to access to justice and accountability and provide tools and mechanisms for its effective implementation to promote protection of marginalized groups and the interests of victims and survivors”.
On 22 October, the Asia Justice Coalition co-sponsored a side event organized by the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations and the International Commission of Jurists on 'Facilitating implementation of obligations under the Crimes Against Humanity Convention: Gaps and Opportunities' in New York. AJC’s Aakash Chandran (Legal Advocacy and Communications Manager) made an intervention calling on Member States to ensure and effectuate meaningful participation of the civil society, including non-ECOSOC-accredited NGOs, during all phases of the diplomatic negotiations.
On 24 September, the Asia Justice Coalition, Amnesty International, ALTSEAN-Burma, and the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network convened an online workshop on ‘Crimes Against Humanity Convention: Vision and Strategy for ASEAN’ in conjunction with the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People's Forum (ACSC/APF) 2025. The two-hour interactive workshop witnessed participation from diverse stakeholders, including civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The workshop briefed the audience about the Crimes Against Humanity Draft Articles, the deliberations at the UN General Assembly, and the upcoming diplomatic negotiations. The workshop also highlighted the relevance of a future CAH convention to ASEAN from the lens of the situation in Myanmar and the Philippines.
On 29 July, the Legal Advocacy and Communications Manager, Aakash Chandran, published a blog post mapping the position of Asian States calling for a diplomatic conference on the Crimes Against Humanity Convention. The post urged Asian States to take the lead, center regional experiences, strengthen the Draft Articles, and ensure participation of all CSOs, including non-ECOSOC organisations & experts moving ahead.
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On 20 May, the Asia Justice Coalition, and the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, Bangladesh along with the delegation of the European Union to Malaysia co-organised a closed-door international consultation on ‘The Situation in Myanmar: Opportunities for Collaboration on Justice and Accountability' in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The consultation witnessed a targeted discussion on the progress towards a Crimes Against Humanity treaty with the Mexican Charge d'affaires and regional diplomatic corps.
On 17 March, Asia Justice Coalition, Global Justice Center, Atlantic Council, Physicians for Human Rights, and Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice co-organised a side event on the margins of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on 'Gender Justice and the Crimes Against Humanity Treaty Initiative'.
2024
At the 23rd International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties in The Hague, AJC held two side events on Crimes Against Humanity Convention. First, a CSO-workshop on the CAH Convention on 5 December, where Aakash Chandran participated on a panel discussion by highlighting the need and importance of Asian voices in the deliberations and processes in the run-up to the Diplomatic Conference. Second, on 6 December, the AJC co-sponsored an event on ‘Gender Justice and CAH Convention’.
Ahead of the November session of the Sixth Committee, the Asia Justice Coalition mapped and pictorially represented the position of Asian States on the draft resolution calling for a diplomatic conference based on the discussions at the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee (9-10 & 14 October).
On 4 October, AJC Director, Dr. Priya Pillai, was featured on the asymmetrical haircuts international law podcast along with Prof. Leila Sadat for an episode entitled “The Road to a New Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Treaty." In the podcast, Dr. Pillai talked about the importance of a multilateral CAH treaty, including state responsibility and obligation to prevent, the process at the UNGA Sixth Committee and the position of Asian States, and the crucial role of civil society.
Further, on 25 October, Dr. Priya Pillai participated in an ABILA’s panel on Crimes Against Humanity. The panel took note of the ongoing deliberations at the UNGA Sixth Committee, explored proposals to incorporate slavery crimes, gender apartheid, and forced marriage within the definition of crime, and called for cross-regional support for the treaty going forward.
On 3 October, the Asia Justice Coalition, along with the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, in partnership with the Embassy of Mexico in Thailand (Bangkok), organised a diplomatic briefing on the International Law Commission's Draft Articles on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity. The briefing provided an overview of the content of the Draft Articles as well as the ongoing discussions within the UNGA Sixth Committee t the representatives of the UN Member States.
On 12 September, the Asia Justice Coalition Secretariat, along with ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), published an infographic on Southeast Asian States and the draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention. The infographic outlined Southeast Asian state' positions on the draft articles on crimes against humanity and urged support at the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee.
On 4 September, in an outreach effort to reach out to former and current members of parliament in the ASEAN region, Dr Pillai and Aakash Chandran briefed the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR).
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On 24 July 2024, Aakash Chandran briefed the members of Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific sections on the Draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention. The meeting aimed at providing a forum for Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific sections and other national entities, and their allies, to learn more about the ongoing deliberations at the UNGA Sixth Committee, and the Draft Articles and the position of Asian states.
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On 30 April, Dr Pillai wrote a blog post tiled 'The need for a convention on crimes against humanity' underlining the importance of a global convention on crimes against humanity and drawing its distinction with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
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In March 2024, during the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Asia Justice Coalition once again co-sponsored a side event “Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity: Advancing Towards a New Convention” to discuss the opportunities that a new convention offers in advancing the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity.
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On 20 March, Priya Pillai and Aakash Chandran briefed the members of the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICR2P) - a global coalition with members from across Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East registered. Thereafter, on 23 May, Priya Pillai and Aakash Chandran briefed and engaged with the members of the Asia Pacific organised by the Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P).
2023
During the margins of the 22nd International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties, in December 2023, Asia Justice Coalition co-sponsored a side event ‘Advancing Towards a Crimes Against Humanity Convention’ exploring the ongoing efforts to establish a new treaty on crimes against humanity and filing the accountability gap in international law.
The Asia Justice Coalition also co-sponsored a civil society workshop in parallel to the ICC ASP to the International Criminal Court in New York entitled ‘Workshop on the International Law Commission’s 2019 Draft articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity’. The workshop aimed to provide members of civil society attending the Assembly of States Parties with an overview of the draft articles and the ongoing process and provide a forum to contextualize progress, hurdles, and opportunities, and create a broad constituency pushing for the adoption of a robust treaty to prevent and punish crimes against humanity.
Building on the complementarity between the Draft Articles on CAH and the Ljubljana– The Hague convention on Mutual Legal Assistance, Dr. Priya Pillai highlighted the central role of victims in international accountability frameworks at the IBA Annual Conference in Paris in November 2023.
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To inform relevant Geneva-based actors about the future Crimes Against Humanity Convention and to call on States to support its adoption, the Asia Justice Coalition and its members International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Global Justice Center co-sponsored a side event at the 54th session of the Human Rights Council in September 2023 entitled ‘Towards A Crimes Against Humanity Convention’.
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The AJC secretariat also mapped the position of the Asian States and published a briefing paper explaining the movement on the International Law Commission's Draft Articles on Crimes Against Humanity at the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee. It also called on them to support the passage of the Draft Articles out of the Sixth Committee and convening a diplomatic conference.
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Similarly, the secretariat also mapped Asian States’ position on the Draft Articles based on the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) records and called for active participation of Asian and African States at the UNGA Sixth Committee. Check here.
At the Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue for Human Rights 75, Legal Advocacy and Communications Manager Aakash Chandran further called on States to pass the Draft Articles on Crimes Against Humanity at the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee.
In June, Asia Justice Coalition and the International Commission of Jurists organised a webinar to discuss the prospects and relevance of the proposed global convention on crimes against humanity for the Asia-Pacific region. The webinar provided a platform to carve out the value and contribution of the Global South, in particular, Asia to promote and ensure peace and stability.