High Tide: Reimagining Activism in Southeast Asia
With an eye to exploring the current state of human rights protection in Southeast Asian countries, this panel centered on better understanding the role of ground-up activism and more formalized, legal institutions in advancing justice in the region.
Glenda Gloria
The challenge for activists today is making [knowledge of] human rights more accessible to the public in SEA, which means meeting the public and youth where they are.”
Alab Ayroso
In Southeast Asia, justice is not something automatically endowed on each person but rather something that has to be fought for
Professor David Cohen
The ASEAN Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 2012 but the instrument is just that – a declaration, not a legally binding treaty”
(Extra quote) 4. Glenda Gloria: “For activism to be effective, it must combine in-person engagement with digital outreach. There is no shortcut to activism.
(Extra quote) 4. Glenda Gloria: “For activism to be effective, it must combine in-person engagement with digital outreach. There is no shortcut to activism.
Panelist
Ms Glenda Gloria
Co-founded Rappler in 2011 alongside Ms Maria Ressa, the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and served as its managing editor until November 2020, when she was named executive editor. Ms Gloria has authored books including "Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao", which won the National Book Award. She also co-founded the Philippines' top investigative magazine, Newsbreak.
Professor David Cohen
Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Stanford, Prof Cohen has led justice sector reform initiatives and tribunal monitoring programs in Indonesia, East Timor, and Cambodia, and has worked closely with the ASEAN Secretariat and the USAID Technical Facility to the ASEAN Secretariat to create Human Rights Resource Center for ASEAN.
Ms Alab Ayroso
Climate justice activist and National Coordinator of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP) based in Manila, Philippines.
