4–5 November 2025, Bangkok, Thailand
NFA Executive Director Subin Mulmi participated in the annual in-person meeting of the Asia Pacific Strategic Litigation Network for the Human Rights of People on the Move, held from 4–5 November 2025 at the Avani Sukhumvit Hotel in Bangkok. The Network, co-led by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), brings together leading litigators, civil society organisations, and UN partners across the region to strengthen rights-based interventions for migrants and people on the move.
According to the meeting agenda and concept note , this year’s gathering convened more than 50 practitioners from 15 countries, providing a collaborative platform to advance strategic litigation, identify test cases, and share innovative legal and procedural strategies.
Key Themes and Sessions
Over two days, participants engaged in in-depth discussions and workshops on urgent and emerging human rights challenges in the region. The agenda covered:
1. Regional Updates on Human Trafficking and Online Scam Centres
Experts from Thailand and regional organisations presented evolving trends and legal challenges in addressing trafficking, exploitation, and criminal networks targeting migrants.
2. Implications of the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change
A multi-expert workshop explored how the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion may reshape state obligations—particularly regarding displacement, mobility, and access to protection for affected communities.
3. Strengthening Non-Refoulement Protections
Litigators from Thailand, Australia, and Pakistan shared strategies to reinforce safeguards against forced return and collective expulsions, especially in worsening regional contexts.
4. Pro Bono Resourcing and Developing a Strategic Litigation Toolkit
Representatives from DLA Piper discussed opportunities to expand pro bono support and develop practical litigation tools for use across Asia and the Pacific.
5. Regional Hackathon on Priority Cases
Participants broke into thematic groups to workshop strategic responses to:
- Collective deportations of Afghan refugees
- Trafficking disclosures in Hong Kong asylum processes
- Regularisation pathways for undocumented children in Korea
- Deportation linked to family separation in Japan
- Enforced disappearances under Thailand’s new legal framework
These sessions facilitated cross-jurisdictional exchange, enabling members to co-develop actionable legal and advocacy approaches.
NFA’s Engagement
NFA’s participation reflects our continued commitment to advancing evidence-based, rights-affirming legal strategies for migrants, refugees, stateless persons, and others facing mobility-related vulnerabilities in Nepal and the wider region. Engagement with this network strengthens our capacity to contribute to regional jurisprudence, respond collectively to emerging rights challenges, and promote accountability for rights violations.
Looking Ahead
The meeting concluded with a joint reflection on the Network’s next steps and a coordinated work plan for 2026, reaffirming its role as a vital platform for strategic collaboration in protecting the human rights of people on the move across Asia and the Pacific.
NFA looks forward to continued engagement with regional partners and to applying insights from the meeting to our ongoing advocacy and legal interventions.
