2006 marks 20th anniversary of Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).

From 38 women leaders who founded the network in 1986, APWLD now has close to 150 individual and organisation members in 23 countries of the Asia Pacific region.

APWLD members speak on the role of APWLD in promoting women’s human rights in the Asia Pacific region:

Virada Somswasdi (left) in Tagaytay, Philippines, in 1986 when APWLD was formed

Virada Somswasdi,
a founding member of APWLD
Chair, Women’s Studies Center, Chiangmai University, Thailand

A speech given at the General Assembly of APWLD, Chiangmai, February 2006

The courtship with APWLD’s mothers or the women’s movements, so to speak, first took place at Nairobi NGO Forum on Women, Law and Development held in 1985 in parallel with the UN Third World Conference on Women and continued to New Delhi soon after.

A wanted pregnancy for the birth of a child whose mission would be to take on heavy responsibilities in fighting for women’s human rights in the region was planned and fatherless. APWLD was conceived and delivered in late 1986 at Tagaytay, Philippines, despite the attempts of forced abortion by some relatives who had a different perspective.

The infant had a beautiful mind with a flaming heart. She was blessed, raised and nurtured in her first home in Malaysia set up in 1987,  to challenge the world of powerful patriarchy and empower women with the concept of using laws and international human rights instruments to realise social transformation for equality, justice, peace and development.

Through the years, our girl had found friends in the region and the world over while fighting vigorously against enemies of women’s dignity. In the course of growing up, she had willingly announced and chosen companions in urban, suburban, rural areas, hills, streets, slums, law offices, universities, parliaments and the UN. They shared experiences in fighting for the cause in the areas of culture, religion, politics, and economics.

She had seen and been through tough times in her puberty age going into adulthood of daily life problems and state intimidation. She found it hard to carry on with normal life pace, while her friends found it hard to be with her or to come to see her. Her mothers then realised the crisis they were confronting with, while anticipated higher risk in keeping her in Kuala Lumpur. Consequently in 1997, she moved to her new home, Chiangmai, Thailand.

She had to regain her old friends’ faith, trust and thrust assuring them that their friendship had never died down or lessened, while trying to make new friends in a new neighborhood. She moved ahead with strong spirit and action to convince her old friends of her sincerity.

She has steadily and beautifully grown up in a true adulthood in the new home and reached out to make lots of new friends, near and afar, from the Pacific islands to Central Asia and the Mekong region.

She is an inspiration to a great deal of women, both individuals and groups. She has reached the front line as powerful advocate for women’s human rights in the international arena through providing education, training, lobbying and rallying with friends in house and on sites. Her presence is always felt at international human rights gatherings.

Difficult situation in her daily life comes at times and intimidation from patriarchal states continues, yet, she determines to keep moving and fighting till the end. She is now much in demand for service from her growing number of friends.

She needs to have your continuing affirmation, faith, trust and thrust in bringing equality, justice, peace and development to women’s and our lives. I am certain that she can count on you for continued solidarity. Thank you all wholeheartedly for your friendship with APWLD!

Happy 20th Birthday to APWLD - a beautiful mind with a flaming heart!

Hina Jilani at the International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders, Sri Lanka, December 2005

Radhika Coomaraswamy at the International onsultation on Women Human Rights Defenders, Sri Lanka, December 2005

Nimalka Fernando, APWLD’s Regional Coordinator in early 1990s, in APWLD office in Kuala Lumpur

Fatima Burnad at the women’s human rights defenders rally organised by APWLD at the Beijing+10 NGO Forum, Bangkok, July 2004

Kamala Chandrakirana at the International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders, Sri Lanka, December 2005

Zanaa Jurmed at the Labour and Migration Task Force meeting, Chiangmai, 2004

S.K.Priya at Feminist Legal Theory and Practice training, Chiangmai, 2005

Lynnsay Rongokea Francis APWLD's Regional Coordinator My involvement with APWLD was through Imrana Jalal, who invited me to attend the first Feminist Legal Theory and Practice training in the Pacific back in 1998, it was my introduction to feminism and a critical analysis of the law in theory and practice. Being a member of the network has brought me into contact with many women activists and advocates from the Asia Pacific region, who come from diverse backgrounds and have shared experiences. I have come to realise what empowerment means and the importance of understanding the experiences and realities of women's lives when applying the law to address women's issues to bring about social change. It has also equipped me with the skills and knowledge to mobilise communities to bring about policy, legislative and constitutional change in the Cook Islands where I come from. As a newly appointed Regional Coordinator, I bring to APWLD a combination of experiences and skills in non-formal training, project planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and management, having worked in community development, on issues of gender, human rights and the law at both national and regional levels in Pacific Island countries, with government and non-government as well as regional organisations. Although some progress has been made in some areas within the Pacific region, women are still disadvantaged in political, social, cultural and economic life, due to the fact that Pacific political decision makers continue to be overwhelmingly male and are reflected in the failure to address issues that concern women. With the support of the APWLD governance bodies, the secretariat and members of the network and especially with the support of my Pacific women colleagues, friends and network and my commitment to the organisation and women's movement I believe I have the experience and skills that are much needed at this time to ensure APWLD continues at the forefront of the women's movement to shape and lead the way forward towards shared goals.

Wanee Thitiprasert, APWLD' Programme and Management Committee member Culture and Peace Foundation, Thailand I joined APWLD a couple of years before APWLD's Secretariat moved from Kuala Lumpur to its current office in Chiangmai, Thailand in 1997. My initiation to APWLD was participation at the NGO Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women in Sri Lanka. As a long standing member of APWLD's Programme and Management Committee and Regional Council I have been part of APWLD's development into a solid strong regional body dedicated to defend women's human rights. APWLD's strength is the role it plays in linking grassroots women's movement with the international fora. This has been most instrumental for the women's grassroots groups to draw international attention to their campaign issues. For me, APWLD is also a role model of administration. This comes as a result of team work based on the strength of each member and the Secretariat. More importantly, APWLD means being part of the network of great women which inspires and expands your vision. On the occasion of APWLD's 20th anniversary I wish APWLD to grow stronger to be able to share her visions and experiences with grassroots women's groups and continued strength in linking them to the international fora and exploring for new and effective strategies to promote women's human rights in Asia Pacific.

Ivy Josiah APWLD's Violence against Women Task Force member Women's Aid Organisation, Malaysia I joined APWLD in 1998 when I was invited by Nor Farida, a founding member of APWLD, to assist in her duties as Coordinator of the Violence against Women (VAW) Taskforce. I then went on to be the Coordinator of the VAW Taskforce for many years! Involvement in APWLD activities was helpful at several levels. Meeting women's groups working on violence against women from so many countries has made me understand clearly the root cause of violence against women and gender inequality - patriarchy! The struggles and challenges of women in Chennai are not so different from Ulaanbaatar or Kuala Lumpur. APWLD has made me a stronger and determined feminist. The sharing and exchange of ideas have improved my work in Malaysia. And I, too, was happy to share my work and our Malaysian strategies with others. For example, I have given talks on the Malaysian Domestic Violence Act in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Geneva, Thailand and Japan. In 2004, I facilitated a visit of parliamentarians, government officials and lawyers from Mongolia to Malaysia. It was a study visit to see the impact of Malaysia's domestic violence legislation. At that time, the domestic violence bill was under debate in the Mongolian parliament. The delegation visited women's organisations, hospitals, police stations, prosecutors' office to see how the law works in practice. The exposure trip facilitated creation of a stronger lobby group which contributed to the passage of the bill in Mongolia later the same year.

APWLD helped us to link our work and analysis at the national level to regional and international developments. APWLD's work has helped me understand the use of UN mechanisms, particularly the UN Special Rapporteur mechanisms. The reports of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women was useful in drafting our Domestic Violence Act in Malaysia in 1995: we used the arguments and standards set by the Rapporteur. APWLD helped women from countries that did not have access to the UN system by providing them an opportunity to raise issues of violence against women in their countries with the UN Special Rapporteur. I still remember the 1999 Annual Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur in Sri Lanka when a young woman from Afghanistan said, "I come from a graveyard called Afghanistan…" and went on to describe how women's rights were violated daily by the Taliban. The Rapporteur listened and took action. In September 1999, Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Rapporteur on VAW at that time conducted a country visit to Afghanistan.

Participation at the former UN Human Rights Commission was also a good exposure, where aside from lobbying on VAW issues, for the extension of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on VAW, for migrant rights and for housing rights, I had a chance to interact with the Malaysian government delegation and observe how they perform in the international arena.

Not all of it was work, as my best times at APWLD also involved partying, shopping, dancing, eating the best of Thai food in Chiangmai and being labelled by the VAW Taskforce as fashion police, as I dished out solicited and unsolicited advice on dress sense! APWLD is a family I choose to be member of, I was involved in assisting APWLD's move from KL to Chiangmai, involved in formulating the new system of governance, worked with 6 Regional Coordinators and so I feel there is a personal investment in this organisation.
On a personal level too, the APWLD women like Raquel Edralin Tiglao continue to inspire me. (Raquel was an APWLD member/ founder of Philippines Women's Crisis Centre. She passed away in 2001 after a long battle with cancer). It is the friendships among APWLD women and being part of a dynamic yet caring women's movement that will keep me committed to APWLD's vision.

Nang Lao Liang Won
Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)/ Women's League of Burma (WLB)

I formally joined APWLD as a member of Violence against Women Task Force in 2005. However, my informal cooperation with APWLD started in 1998 with the involvement in APWLD's research project focusing on issues of migrant women from Burma in Thailand. At that time there were very few NGOs in Thailand working on migrant women's issues. It was my 1st research project and I really appreciate the tremendous support given by my friends at Empower, MAP and the Burma Relief Centre and their networks. I believe the report was useful for organisations assisting Burmese migrants as it provides them with guidelines on strategies and responses to the needs of Burmese migrant women in Thailand.

In 2002, SWAN, jointly with the Shan Human rights Foundation ( SHRF) released the "Licence to Rape" report documenting 173 incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence committed by the Burmese military regime's troops in Shan State. Since the launch of the report, APWLD have increased its support and facilitated our advocacy efforts at several forums at regional and international levels including: Asia Pacific Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women in 2002; Asia Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing in 2003; Consultation with UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders in 2003; Asia Social Forum in 2003; Commission on the Status of Women in 2003 and 2005; UN Commission on Human Rights in 2003, 2004 and 2005. This has given more visibility to our campaigns and has highlighted the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war by the military regime of Burma.

APWLD has also provided us with a platform and technical support to enable us to lobby the UN and government missions on the resolution on Burma and include state accountability for sexual violence against ethnic women in Burma. Since we do not have a UN ECOSOC status we also gain access to UN mechanisms through membership in APWLD. And APWLD Secretariat members, Mary Jane Real and Alison Aggarwal, provided invaluable technical assistance in formulating the language for the Burma resolution. For example, at the 60th Session of UNCHR (UN Commission on Human Rights) in 2004 in particular, due to our lobbying, very specific language on sexual violence was incorporated in the resolution on Burma [E/CN.4/2004/L.34]. For the first time, the resolution specifically stated: in Para 2 (d): 'Extrajudicial killings, rape and other forms of sexual violence persistently carried out by members of the armed forces'.

Years ago while working on the ground providing services to the women of Burma in crisis, I did not very much appreciate the importance of the language in the UN resolutions and legal documents or lobbying at the UN forums. I thought: what a waste of time and resources. With my experience working with human rights organisations, particularly with APWLD, I have become convinced that governments can be forced to follow these international resolutions. Or, at least, we can shame them at the international level for gross violations of human rights such as those committed by the Burmese military regime. I do believe our incessant advocacy, lobbying and campaigns will help bring the military regime in Burma down and install human rights for all in Burma with genuine democracy and peace.

Sujata Mody APWLD's Labour and Migration Task Force member Malarchi, Women's Resource Center, India For a long time I was not able to see my role as giving leadership to women, but after I joined APWLD I rediscovered what my role was. It allowed me to feel it, to think it, to experience it. My experience with APWLD has impacted me, my organisation and my nation. I believe that I have learnt a great deal in terms of how to address some of the issues of women's work, to define work, quantify it and value it. I also believe I have drawn strength and expanded my from sisters of other countries. I have learnt that UN instruments can be effective in women workers struggles if they are used in very well strategised and defined ways.

Cynthia Ca Abdon-Tellez APWLD's Labour and Migration Task Force member Mission for Migrant Workers, Hong Kong APWLD enabled us to open our minds to the usefulness of the international bodies, while recognising that they are not the only venues. Before coming to APWLD I had lots of questions pertaining to women that I never dared to ask, that I didn't think were important. Now I ask the questions and am able to push projects with women's agenda. The achievement of APWLD is keeping in touch with grassroots and assisting them address specific issues on the ground.My role is to share what happens on the ground with APWLD and vice versa.

Avelina Rokoduru APWLD's Labour and Migration Task Force member Fiji Women's Rights Movement What we tend to forget is that APWLD is the only regional women's NGO that has representation from all areas of Asia Pacific. We, women, are the majority of the majority (developing nations), and that gives us power. Once we start looking at boundaries, like diversity and geography, we lose our majority. If we start limiting ourselves, we lose our power. APWLD has come a long way. It has been so brave in addressing issues dictated to us by the first world countries. We are the only truly regional organisation that truly represents what we need. APWLD provides empowerment.