UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD A4 – Thailand: Victims groups are better organized and are aware of their rights to truth, justice and reparations. Law enforcement agencies are more transparent in their functioning. allowed them to have access to lawyers and their families. The Office facilitated meaningful participation and improved awareness of rights-holders about their rights to truth, justice and reparations by advocating with relevant government authorities, accompanying the families of victims and building the capacity of victims to access complaints mechanisms. PS3 – Relevant intergovernmental fora, processes and mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council, UN General Assembly and Security Council, integrate human rights concerns when they address situations of conflict and insecurity in the subregion. To enhance the awareness of law enforcement officials on the right to truth of the families of victims and the right to access to a lawyer and communication with a family member, OHCHR was in close contact with the spokesperson and military officials from the law enforcement department of the National Council for Peace and Order. The Office also sent 10 official letters to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) during the year to raise concerns about arbitrary arrests, detentions, incommunicado detentions, deportations and the resumption of the death penalty. The Office issued two public statements, in February and June, regarding arbitrary arrests and the resumption of the death penalty and called for the right to information and the right to truth of the families of victims. OHCHR accompanied two families of victims to four meetings with the Ministry of Justice’s DSI, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney General’s Office. As a result of this continued engagement, the DSI agreed to investigate the case of a disappeared human rights defender and provided witness protection for the member of a victim’s family. In addition, the authorities took steps to ensure the rights to information and participation of the two families by appointing a liaison officer. Moreover, in cases of arbitrary arrest and detention of victims, the authorities 272 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 Peace and Security (PS) The Office helped to integrate international human rights norms and standards into dialogue related to the conflict in Indonesia and Thailand by strengthening the capacity of government, NHRIs and civil society to engage with the international human rights mechanisms and facilitate dialogue between these entities at the national level. In Indonesia, the Office helped to strengthen the capacity of local civil society organizations in Papua and Maluka to better monitor, document and report on human rights violations. As a result, civil society partners submitted information to the Working Group on business and human rights, representing an important step forward in engagement that supports their advocacy. In Thailand, the Office contributed to increasing the integration of human rights into the work of government officials, including the military. In January, OHCHR proposed a methodology for facilitating constructive dialogue between civil society with the MOFA and the Internal Security Operations Command (Region 4) in the Southern Border Provinces. The recommendation was accepted by MOFA, which continued organizing monthly meetings with civil society organizations to discuss human rights concerns. The NHRCT increased its capacity to independently raise human rights issues in the Southern Border Provinces and monitor places of detention inside military barracks. It also increased its coordination with the international human rights mechanisms through the Human Rights School that was organized by the Office in May and September. PS5 – UN country policies and programmes, including UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs), successfully integrate international human rights norms, standards and principles, including the recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms. OHCHR provided systematic support and contributed analysis and data on human rights issues to RCs and UNCTs in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam in order to integrate international human rights norms and standards into their work. The use of evidence-based human rights analysis was strengthened in UNCTs across the region for programmatic and policy interventions. In addition, the Office strengthened the capacity of UNCTs to undertake specific evidence-based political and human rights analysis for advocacy purposes. During the reporting period, analysis was completed on regional legislation related to “fake news” and its human rights impact in the region, early warning analysis on the National Registration of Citizenship (Assam-India) and the rapid analysis of human rights concerns related to the enactment of the Cyber Security Law (Viet Nam). OHCHR’s remote monitoring of protests in Viet Nam, in June, and of the student protests in Bangladesh, in August, provided important information to determine appropriate engagement and advocacy efforts. Development (D) D3 – In the subregion, relevant ministries, departments and parliamentary committees incorporate human rights standards and frameworks when they fulfil their mandates on land, housing and poverty; they give due attention to gender concerns. The Office contributed to improving the level of compliance of housing and business legislation and policies with international human rights norms and standards by producing regional mapping studies, monitoring human rights violations and supporting civil society engagement. In 2018, on the occasion of the visit to Indonesia of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, the Office strengthened engagement and advocacy with the government on land and housing rights together with national institutions and civil society. Emblematic cases were raised regarding various rights related to the environment, land, the extractive industries, energy and infrastructure projects. This enhanced the engagement of Indonesian civil society with the UN Human Rights mechanisms and deepened OHCHR’s network with civil society. In Thailand, the Office continued monitoring strategic lawsuits that were filed against human rights defenders related to business and human rights cases. OHCHR observed four such legal proceedings and trial sessions, between February and July, and the Criminal Court dismissed at least one of these cases. In November, the National Legislative Assembly approved, in principle, the adoption of an amendment of the Criminal Code that would enable judges to dismiss cases that were filed by companies against communities affected by their activities. During the reporting period, OHCHR organized a series of meetings with the Thai Government, the NHRCT, the Ministry of Justice and civil society organizations to discuss the drafting process of the Thai National Action Plan on business and human rights. Through the meetings, OHCHR worked with all stakeholders to ensure that the draft was in line with international human rights standards, including the recommendations issued by the Working Group on business and human rights and the UN General Principles on business and human rights. D5 – Laws and policies on the environment, climate change, extractive industries and urban planning comply with international human rights standards and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. National institutions and civil society organizations act to ensure that rights-holders can participate in decision-making processes on the environment and climate change and engage with duty-bearers and the private sector on these issues. As a result of interventions undertaken by the Office, progress has been noted with regards to environmental and climate policies and plans to protect and fulfil international human rights norms and standards. At the regional level, OHCHR initiated its engagement on climate change and human rights by broadening its partnerships with regional and national counterparts and by identifying partnerships and synergies with other UN actors, NHRIs and civil society. The Office supported a regional workshop that brought together NHRIs from Asia and the Pacific. Participants discussed the impact of large-scale development projects on marginalized communities, including from the perspective of climate change. As a result, in 2019 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 273