That came as a surprise and was an honour!
My appointment as the Regional Advisor (Asia-Pacific Region) for Human Rights and ICT, by the UNESCO Centre is by itself a recognition of the institute identifying the right people for meeting its goals, and a huge recognition for the values that I believe in. While all my work has in many ways been Tamil Nadu or India centric, this position gives me an opportunity to spread my wings further and start looking at regional issues.
UNESCO Centre, Regional Advisor- Asia Pacific
Human Rights Issues pan across Prevention of Torture, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Indigenous Peoples, People with Disability, Women’s Rights, Human Trafficking, Human Rights Defenders, Reproductive Rights, Business and Human Rights, Migration and Migrant Workers and many more – As we become supposedly more and more civilized we tend to create one more human rights challenge to the pipeline!!
Human rights issues in the region are intertwined with cultural and ethnic challenges and being an Indian and Asian, gives me that unique edge to place things in perspective to the Honb’le Secretary General, Dr.Tae Sul Kim.
Following my official appointment, I took up the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils in right earnest, and wanted to bring international attention and the UNESCO’s humanitarian support to an ethnic people who are being denied their rightful means to livelihood and dignity, in their own land.
The Tamil Eelam Supporters Organization (TESO) is stepping up its undaunted efforts to ensure that the dignity and livelihood of the Tamils in Sri Lanka is protected and international pressure is mounted to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government honours and protects their rights, as equal citizens of the land. This is just one of the many issues where the human rights violations happen to Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and go unreported.
To me, the need to find solutions to human rights challenges cannot be successful if it is pursued only by institutions – It must be the prerogative of every citizen of the world to protect and do their bit to ensure that the next person is equally protected as he/she is. Only then can these challenges be weeded out of the society and the world can become a safer place to live in the next couple of decades.
Until then, I’ll continue to do my bit to the cause. And so must you.
Further Reading :
Hasan Mohammed Jinnah 
There is oppression and lack of doamcrecy and human rights in Burma/Myanmar for all the ethnic groups, not just Rakhine or Kachin and Shan, but also for the Bamar, Mon and Karen. The aim should be to fight the oppression and lack of human rights. So unite with all the races of Burma for the reestablishment of a fre and democratic Burma.Secession from the Union of myanmar is not the answer. Suppose Muslims like to secede from an Arankanese State will you allow them? Then th process will lead to Balkanization of Burma that is unacceptable to all of us!
India is passing through a phase of contradictories of resources & poverty where it has become difficult for its citizen to believe that public authorities and political leaders are adopting fair means for utilizations and development of its resources or exploiting them for individual wealth building.
Many Right to Information Act (RTI) activists, including policemen, have been harassed and even murdered for seeking information to “promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority” in India. Many face assaults on a regular basis. RTI activists are vulnerable human rights defenders (HRDs) in India. Unlike other HRDs, a majority of the RTI activists are not part of an organisation; they often act alone, moved by anger at corruption and other illegal activities. They are vulnerable because they live in the same areas as public authorities and political leaders who do not want information about their activities to be disclosed.
For the most part, human rights defenders receive media attention only when killed or seriously injured. Such cases are increasing day by day and touching alarming figures. They need international attention because at the other ends there are rulers.
Jai Hind !
Abhijeet Sinha
Social Activist, Author, Columnist,
RTI Activist, Human Rights Defender,
C.Adv. & Financial Offense Analyst