The State of Southeast Asia 2022 Survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute highlighted the pandemic’s threat to health, and a ‘slow and ineffective’ ASEAN as the top challenge and concern facing the region.

This year’s Forum is being co-organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the United Nations Development Programme’s Business and Human Rights in Asia and the International Labour Organization, with support from the Government of Sweden. It will facilitate a robust, multi-stakeholder dialogue to foster joint action to prevent, mitigate and remediate business-related human right

"We condemn the Sri Lankan government’s tactics to intimidate human rights defenders, and express our full solidarity with Ms. Satkunanathan, a well-known, respected and courageous human rights defender." FORUM ASIA

This conference seeks to challenge the often-unquestioned assumption that social welfare systems always produce greater equality. It will bring together scholars thinking about the various challenges that prevent the expansion of welfare systems and limit their emancipatory power.