Organised by: Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy, Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network, Indigenous Peoples Rights International, Land is Life, Diplomacy Training Program, IWGIA and Zero Tolerance Initiative

On 12-13 September, the Zero Tolerance Initiative (ZTI) co-hosted an Asia regional gathering of rights defenders working on environment, business and human rights in Bangkok, Thailand. Organised around the UN Responsible Business and Human Rights (RBHR) Forum, Asia-Pacific, this gathering, titled 'Strengthening Solidarity, Building Resilience', brought together rights defenders from over eight countries in Asia and created a dedicated space for sharing stories, learning, and connecting.

The gathering primarily brought together members of the ZTI, a global coalition working to address the root causes of attacks against defenders linked to global value chains, with Indigenous Peoples’ human rights defenders (IPHRDs) making up the majority of participants. The event aimed to strengthen relationships, trust, and a sense of belonging across ZTI members, as well as other rights defenders from across Asia, while providing space to discuss key advocacy priorities and challenges related to defending their lands, rights, and resources. It also provided an opportunity to  discuss the strategic direction of the ZTI network in the region.

The gathering enabled ZTI members to present cases related to diverse areas of business and human rights affecting Indigenous communities in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand, covering areas such as agribusiness, infrastructure, mining, energy, conservation, and tourism. Through a peer-to-peer learning session, participants exchanged knowledge, experiences, and strategies on the international business and human rights framework, multi-stakeholder initiatives, industry initiatives, companies, and investors, including multilateral development banks.

The gathering, however, was not limited to the ZTI membership only but, in some segments, widened spaces for conversations with allies and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including representatives of workers unions, civil society organisations, NGOs, the OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Prof Surya Deva. Such segments included a peer-to-peer learning session on the global push for energy transition and how diverse energy-related projects are affecting Indigenous communities in Asia, as well as a session facilitated by the Diplomacy Training Program on priorities and strategies for capacity building needs around business and human rights.

The final segment of the gathering comprised the convening of the Asia-Pacific Indigenous Peoples Caucus, facilitated by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), a ZTI Steering Group member. The Caucus was attended by the IPHRDs participating in the Forum and focused on potential ways to maximise opportunities for their participation and engagement in the Forum. The discussion sought to weave solidarity among the diverse efforts (e.g. organisations of sessions) of IPHRDs participating in the forum and to develop a joint Indigenous Peoples’ position through the drafting of a joint statement, which was presented in the closing plenary of the RBHR Forum.

Across the Asia regional gathering of defenders, discussions echoed rising concerns about the increasing criminalisation of defenders in the region; shrinking civic spaces in various countries and regions; the violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples including their right to free, prior and informed consent and self-determination; the unequal burden of energy transition borne by Indigenous Peoples and other grassroots communities; and the devastating impacts of corporate greed and state-initiated infrastructure project on the natural environment, biodiversity, and grassroots communities in the region. To address the multitude of challenges, the gathering highlighted the continued need to strengthen community resilience, build capacity on emerging issues, and strengthen solidarity among rights defenders, their communities and allies.