Linked with our presentatio of Irene Fernandez – Malaysia.
Linked also with our presentation of Petition of Complaint to the National Human Rights Commission SUHAKAM.
The Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development APWLD is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization. It is committed to enabling women to use law as an instrument of social change for equality, justice and development. It has a consultative status at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
Objectives: To enable women in the region to use law as an instrument of change for the empowerment of women in their struggle for justice, peace, equality and development. To promote basic concepts of human rights in the region as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discriminations Against Women (CEDAW) and other relevant international human rights instruments.
We of APWLD believe that the concept of law includes the legal system as well as the customary practices. Law plays a critical role as it can promote or inhibit women’s access to resources as well as their participation in development processes. Legally sanctioned hierarchical gender structures, production modes and socio-cultural relations need to be seriously addressed by all stakeholders. New social structures require new legal instruments. Knowledge of the law, legal processes and one’s rights is a process of empowerment. (Read more on this page).
See also Network & Links.