日本弁護士連合会：4th LAWASIA Human Rights Conference Program

PROGRAM

Conference Theme: Crossing Borders: Human Rights Violations and Lawyersʼ Advocacy

Day 1: Saturday September 2nd

19:00 - 21:00 | Welcome Reception

Moderators:

・Yuichi UDO | Akita Bar Association
・Yuki WATABE | Fukuoka Bar Association

Day 2: Sunday September 3rd

09:30 - 10:30 | Opening Ceremony

Moderators:

・Kensuke HAMADA | Fukuoka Bar Association

・Shinobu ITO | Ibaraki Bar Association

Welcome and Opening Remarks

・Governor Seitaro HATTORI | Fukuoka Prefecture

・President Melissa K PANG | LAWASIA (HONG KONG SAR)

・President Motoji KOBAYASHI | Japan Federation of Bar Associations

・President Masanori OGAMI | Fukuoka Bar Association

・Co-Chair Shanmuga KANESALINGAM | LAWASIA Human Rights Committee (MALAYSIA)

・Organising Committee Yasushi HIGASHIZAWA | Japan Federation of Bar Associations

10:45 - 12:15 | Plenary Session 1: Armed Conflicts and Gross Violation of Human Rights: Bar Associations to Co-work for Victims

Ukraine=Russia conflict since 2022 convinced us again that armed conflicts are among the worst human rights violations. While international politics or the United Nations system have failed to respond effectively, bar associations/law societies, either national or international, have initiated cross-border supports for victims of armed conflicts. Those supports include rescue of cross-border refugees and activities to address war crimes and crimes against humanity. This session, inviting representatives of lawyersʼ organizations, explores possible cross-border initiatives by lawyers and bar associations/law societies to address a large scale of human rights violations during/after armed conflicts.

Moderator:

・ Yasushi HIGASHIZAWA | JAPAN (PDFfile;365KB)

Speakers:

12:15 - 14:00 | Lunch

14:00 - 15:30 | Concurrent Session 1 & 2:

Theme 1: Remedying human rights violations against migrants and refugees and the role of lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region

With the resumption of international flows of people in various countries in the post-corona, the Asia-Pacific region is also experiencing an accelerated increase in international migration by migrant workers. Meanwhile, forced displacement, including of refugees, is on the rise in the wake of escalating conflicts and new outbreaks of conflict around the world, with more than 100 million people being forcibly displaced in 2022, the largest number ever. Against this backdrop, the international community is taking initiatives to strengthen global governance through a comprehensive framework, including the formulation of the Global Compact on Migration and Refugees, the underlying principle of which is the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants and refugees. However, many migrants and refugees find themselves in a vulnerable situation, vulnerable to human rights violations amid strict border controls and xenophobic and intolerant tendencies by states. This session aims to share knowledge and experiences of what lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region are doing and what challenges they are facing in their respective countries to redress human rights violations against such migrants and refugees, and to explore possibilities for cross-border cooperation.

Moderators:

・ Ara CHO | SOUTH KOREA (PDFfile;824KB)
・ Chieko TAKAMI | JAPAN (PDFfile;532KB)

Speakers:

Commentator:

・ Simone CUOMO | CCBE (PDFfile;423KB)

Theme 2: The Role of Defence Lawyers and Bar Associations towards the Abolition of Death Penalty in Asia

On 15 December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 9th resolution for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty with overwhelming 125 votes in favour. Despite this global trend, most executions worldwide have been taking place in Asia. How can lawyers and bar associations work towards the abolition in Asian countries, where the death penalty still exists? This session will discuss the role of lawyers and bar associations to abolish the death penalty in Asia.

Moderator:

・ Teppei ONO | JAPAN(PDFfile;554KB)

Speakers:

・ Abdul Rashid ISMAIL | MALAYSIA(PDFfile;421KB)
・ Julian MACMAHON | AUSTRALIA(PDFfile;400KB)
・ Yuji OGAWARA | JAPAN(PDFfile;469KB)
・ Shreya RASTOGI | INDIA(PDFfile;818KB)

15:40 - 17:10 | Concurrent Session 3 & 4:

Theme 3: Childrenʼs Rights and Global Environmental Issues including Climate Change

The deterioration of our living environment due to global warming and other factors is a top-priority agenda requiring concerted global efforts. However, conflicts of interests among countries and the outbreak of the battle in Ukraine have stalled these efforts and even are forced to retreat. Environmental destruction poses a threat to the survival of children, who are our future. Preventing such destruction and allowing them to live in a safe environment will, above all, guarantee their human rights. Currently, NGOs and other organizations involving children and youth are becoming more active all over the world, and lawyers are collaborating in legislative and litigation efforts against environmental destruction based on childrenʼs rights. This session will hear the voices of children involved in environmental protection activities using online or video letters and explore the possibilities of incorporating childrenʼs voices into environmental legislation and/or guaranteeing childrenʼs rights against environmental destruction through litigation.

Moderators:

・ Simon HENDERSON | AUSTRALIA(PDFfile;914KB)
・ Mami ISHIDA | JAPAN(PDFfile;406KB)

Speakers:

・ Loganathan KRISHNAN | MALAYSIA(PDFfile;565KB)
・ Mikiko OTANI | JAPAN(PDFfile;407KB)
・ Aparajita SHARMA | INDIA(PDFfile;855KB)

Voices from the Youth:

・ Kurika SAKAGUCHI | JAPAN(PDFfile;478KB)

・A speaker from India (TBD)

Theme 4: Cross-border efforts to eradicate gender violence - Online harassment of women

The digital society has brought about a desirable change in the way society and it should inherently benefit everyone equally. However, there is a digital divide between men and women. One of the factors hindering the bridging of the digital divide is the fact that women are more at risk than men with regard to online harassment, such as defamation, leaking and spreading of sexual images and exposure of privacy, which means that it is not a safe place for women. Moreover we should realize that it is also resulting in new kinds of harassment against women besides offline harassment so far. In this session, we would like to focus on online harassment against women, share knowledge and experiences on the situation of damage and respective efforts in Asian countries, and discuss future initiatives.

Moderators:

・ Yayoi HASEGAWA | JAPAN(PDFfile;901KB)
・ Saroj K GHIMIRE | NEPAL(PDFfile;651KB)

Speakers:

・ Madhavi DIVAN | INDIA(PDFfile;595KB)
・ Hirotaka HONDA | JAPAN(PDFfile;387KB)
・ Gema Gita PERSADA | INDONESIA(PDFfile;618KB)

Day 3: Monday September 4th

09:30 - 12:00 | Social Program

Visit the Fukuoka High Court and the Fukuoka Public Prosecutors Office
（Meeting Time and Place: 09:30@Fukuoka Bar Association's Hall （2nd floor））

12:00 - 13:30 | Lunch

13:30 - 15:00 | Plenary Session 2: Promoting Access to Effective Remedy in Business and Human Rights: The Role and Cooperation of Lawyers Beyond Borders

The Guiding Principles of Business and Human Rights endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 contain three pillars: the state duty to protect, the corporate responsibility to respect, and access to effective remedy. Access to effective remedy includes the judicial and non-judicial process, and the lawyers play an important role in both. In this Session, we will bring together leading lawyers in the Asia and Pacific region engaging in the promotion of effective remedy in the business and human rights field. The speakers will share their valuable insights and experiences about their professional activities for the promotion of effective remedy. This Session will also discuss the possibility of cooperation among lawyers beyond the borders.

Moderators:

・ Firdaus HUSNI | MALAYSIA(PDFfile;965KB)
・ Koichi INAMORI | JAPAN(PDFfile;1.7MB)

Speakers:

15:10 - 16:00 | Closing Ceremony

Moderators:

・Hikari TSUJI | Fukuoka Bar Association
・Toshinori YAGI | Kagawa Bar Association

Closing Remarks:

・President-elect Shyam DIVAN | LAWASIA (INDIA)
・Co-Chair Arthur MOSES SC | LAWASIA Human Rights Committee (AUSTRALIA)
・Chair Masaharu OGAWA | JFBA Committee on International Human Rights
・Chair Hitoshi MATSUI | FBA Committee on International Human Rights
・Organising Committee Yasushi HIGASHIZAWA | Japan Federation of Bar Associations