Dates: 7 July 2024 – 11 July 2024
Authors: Agnes Anya, Christina Fukuoka, Chanyaporn Aroonnetthong, Chihiro Toya, Ai Kihara-Hunt
Summary:
The project team for the project “Research, Mutual Learning and Network Formation on Human Rights Best Practices by Non-State Actors in COVID responses”, funded by Toyota Foundation, has made a visit to Bangkok, Thailand, between 7 July to 10 July 2024, in order to gather information, have project meeting, present project findings at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR)’s Asia Pacific Regional Office, and to meet with the project partners (representatives from the Thai Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) and private companies) to learn from their experiences.
Experiences were learned from the project partners on how the gap in protection of the right to health in Thailand during the COVID-related emergencies. The way that the gap was filled by private companies’ and individuals’ initiatives, smoothly partnering with the Government’s Department (DEPA), utilizing digital technology, has a good potential for a better human rights protection involving non-state actors. It was also discussed that, one needs to be careful, though, to make sure that the service providers even in such an emergency situation should be as fairly selected as possible, and that care needs to be taken to ensure that services are also effectively provided to migrants and other minorities.
Consultation Meeting with UN-OHCHR on Human Rights Practices by Non-State Actors in Southeast Asia during COVID-19
DATE & TIME
o Date: Tuesday, July 9th, 2024
o Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
PLACE
o Location: UN-OHCHR headquarters, United Nations Building, Bangkok, Thailand.
PARTICIPANTS
o Representatives from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR):
⇒ Mr. Taisuke Komatsu, Associate Human Rights Officer
⇒ Ms. Nichapa Chanwisitkul, National Human Rights Officer
o Researchers and representatives of Toyota Foundation Project
⇒ Prof. Ai-Kihara Hunt, Director of the University of Tokyo’s
Research Center for Sustainable Peace (RCSP)
⇒ Agnes Anya, researcher of Indonesia’s subgroup
⇒ Christina Fukuoka, representative of Japan & Singapore’s
subgroup
⇒ Chanyaporn Aroonnetthong, researcher of Thailand’s subgroup
⇒ Chihiro Toya, researcher of Thailand’s subgroup
OVERVIEW
Representative researchers involved in “Research, Mutual Learning and Network Formation on Human Rights Best Practices by Non-State Actors in COVID Responses”, a Toyota Foundation-funded research project led by University of Tokyo’s International Law Training and Research Hub, presented their findings on July 9, 2024, at the United Nations building in Bangkok, Thailand. This presentation was a follow-up on the previous collaboration between the Hub and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR)’s Asia Pacific Regional Office. It showcased innovative responses during COVID-19 by non-state actors in Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand, highlighting how these non-state actors navigated challenges through new partnerships, government cooperation, self- help initiatives, and fundraising efforts. The research mapped these approaches, underlining their effectiveness and impact in bridging policy and human rights protection gaps from the perspective of beneficiary communities.
The presentation began with an introduction by Prof. Ai Kihara-Hunt, the Principal Investigator of the research project, to the project's goals: to establish and sustain a dynamic network for mutual support and cross-border learning. She took the opportunity to invite an UN-OHCHR representative to contribute to the next phase of the project – a forthcoming symposium designed to foster collaboration and develop actionable strategies based on these research insights. To realise these
aforementioned goals, Prof. Kihara-Hunt invited researchers and representatives to present their findings taken from COVID-19 in the following subtopics:
Education Sector in Indonesia
Migrants and Refugees in Singapore and Japan
Technology in Healthcare in Thailand
Agnes Anya presented key case studies from Indonesia, emphasizing the critical role of non-state entities in enhancing educational access, improving teaching quality, and fostering innovative practices. Christina Fukuoka discussed the pandemic's impact on refugees and asylum seekers in Japan, highlighting their challenges in the situation and coping mechanisms. Meanwhile, Chanyaporn Aroonnetthong and Chihiro Toya examined how technology supported the protection of health rights in Thailand and facilitated collaboration between governmental and non-governmental actors.
The meeting continued with a question-and-answer session, during which Mr. Taisuke Komatsu, a specialist in migration, explored the situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Japan, raising questions about their specific challenges and needs. Mr. Komatsu also suggested contacts to enhance support for the forcibly displaced population and referred to the importance of empathy that was mentioned during the presentation, sharing with the researchers and representatives two UN-ONHCR publications that intersect migration and empathy building. Ms. Nichapa Chanwisitkul contributed to the discussion by sharing her personal experiences with the Thai-based technology addressed during the presentation, detailing its significant role in navigating challenges during COVID-19 and suggesting ways it could be further developed to better protect human rights. This dialogue marked a significant step in disseminating research findings on human rights practices by non-state actors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The valuable feedback and positive reception underscored the importance of these contributions.
CONCLUSION
The presentation at the UN-OHCHR in Bangkok marked a significant advancement in sharing research findings on human rights practices by non-state actors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The positive feedback and valuable insights underscored the importance of these contributions. Moving forward, efforts will focus on fostering collaborations to enhance human rights protection and educational outcomes across the region.
NEXT STEP
The findings of this project will be presented at an event at the end of the project cycle. UN-OHCHR Asia Pacific Regional Office and the Project team discussed the possibility of having the event in Bangkok later in the year 2024, possibly in November 2024. There will be a follow up on this.
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Meeting with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA)
Date and Time: July 10, 2024, 13:00 AM - 16:00 PM
Place: DEPA Headquarters, Bangkok
Meeting room 303, 80 Lat Phrao 4 Alley, Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Participants:
• DEPA:
o Mr.Warin Ratchananusorn, VicePresident, DigitalEcosystem
Promotion Unit
o Ms.Monmanisara Boontevee, Digital Ecosystem Promotion Unit
Private Companies:
o Mr. Rungsun Promprasith, Founder, QueQ Thailand
o Mr. Panachit Kittipanya-ngam, Former President, Thailand TechStartup
Association
Our Project Team:
o Ms. AiKihara-Hunt
o Ms.Chihiro Toya
o Ms.Chanyaporn Aroonnetthong
o Ms.ChristinaFukuoka
o Ms.AgnesAnya
Summary of the Meeting:
On July 10, 2024, members of the UTokyo International Law Training and Research Hub and our project partners from the Toyota Foundation-funded project, “Research, Mutual Learning, and Network Formation on Human Rights Best Practices by Non-State Actors in COVID Responses,” held our first in-person meeting at the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) in Bangkok, Thailand. Since 2021, this project has explored the practices of non-state actors that have helped fill gaps in policy and human rights protection, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when state actors struggled to respond to the urgent health crisis. Our goal is not only to gather data on these best practices but also to promote mutual learning with our partners in six countries, representing various fields such as education, technology, migration and refugees, youth, and healthcare. The meeting was an excellent opportunity for project members to share insights and lessons learned from the pandemic, which can be applied to future crises.
Key Questions Raised:
1. Rapid Solution Development: How startups can quickly develop and implement solutions.
2. Digital Security: Ensuring robust security measures in digital tools and data management.
Insights from DEPA:
Over the past several years, DEPA has played a crucial role in supporting digital transformation and startups in Thailand, particularly in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19. Initially focused on startup platform research, DEPA's efforts expanded to include managing demand and supply, fostering public-private trust, and enhancing digital security. During the pandemic, DEPA facilitated collaborations between startups and government departments, enabling the rapid development of telemedicine and digital tools for health data management.
Our project partners in Thailand, Mr. Rungsun Promprasith and Mr. Panachit Kittipanya-ngam, have collaborated with DEPA to provide valuable digital services addressing various issues during the pandemic, such as misinformation and medical access. DEPA played a crucial role in connecting these initiatives with government sectors, educational institutions, and medical institutions. For example, QueQ, funded by Mr. Rungsun Promprasith, offers an application service that notifies users when their turn is approaching. This service contributed to reducing wait times in queues. Originally designed for restaurants, it was adapted during the pandemic to reduce crowd density and promote social distancing, particularly for those waiting for PCR tests and medical appointments. It continues to be used in various places, including immigration offices in Phuket and Khao Yai National Park.
Moving forward, DEPA aims to continue promoting digital literacy, security, and leveraging lessons learned from the pandemic to drive innovation and support for startups.
Our Project Presentation:
After an introduction of each other and our project facilitated by Ms. Chanyaporn Aroonnetthong and Ms. Chihiro Toya, and a discussion of possible next steps led by Professor Kihara-Hunt, two of our project partners—Ms. Agnes Anya from Indonesia and Ms. Christina Fukuoka from Japan—shared their insights on how non-state actors can help fill the gaps where state actors fall short.
Ms. Agnes Anya presented her research on education in remote areas of Indonesia, highlighting how technology and private sector initiatives have significantly improved access to education. Following this, Ms. Christina Fukuoka shared her findings on migration issues in Japan, emphasising the crucial role that non-state actors, particularly students, can play in supporting migrants and refugees. The discussion also explored strategies for engaging the private sector in effectively addressing challenges and supporting migrant communities.
Next Steps:
1. Potential Collaboration:
o All our project partners expressed interest in exploring a collaboration for the upcoming final seminar of this project. We planned to organise a follow-up meeting to review the specifics of this partnership.
2. Final Seminar Planning:
o We aim to integrate DEPA’s insights and resources into our seminar agenda to provide a comprehensive overview of digital transformation initiatives and their impact.
Conclusion:
The collaboration between DEPA, startups, and government entities has been crucial in addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 and promoting digital transformation. Trust and security remain pivotal in these efforts, with a focus on scalability and effective management of digital tools. Overall, the meeting with DEPA was highly productive, with both parties engaging in comprehensive discussions and sharing insights on various issues faced by different countries. This exchange of ideas has laid a solid foundation for a promising collaboration.
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